What are the symbols of Easter and what do they mean?

While religious crosses can be made of different materials, a plain wooden cross is the version most symbolic of Easter. That’s because this type of cross most accurately depicts the cross upon which Jesus was crucified and where he died, before being placed in a tomb and being resurrected three days later.

What determines when Easter is each year?

How is Easter’s date determined? Easter is traditionally celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon — officially called “Paschal Full Moon” — that lands on or just after the spring equinox.

What is the rule for Easter?

Easter falls on the first Sunday after the Full Moon date, based on mathematical calculations, that falls on or after March 21. If the Full Moon is on a Sunday, Easter is celebrated on the following Sunday.

What is the latest Easter can be?

April 25
By ecclesiastical rules set centuries ago, there are 35 dates on which Easter can take place. The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22 and the latest possible date is April 25. Easter can never come as early as March 21, however. That’s because, by ecclesiastical rules, the vernal equinox is fixed on March 21.

Does Passover always coincide with Easter?

So the date of Easter is connected to the date of Passover. (Passover commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.) But Passover and Easter don’t always coincide. Last year Passover was in April, and Easter was in March.

What is the true meaning of Easter?

Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb on the third day after his crucifixion. Easter is the fulfilled prophecy of the Messiah who would be persecuted, die for our sins, and rise on the third day.

What is the significance of the 14th day of Easter?

Easter was the Sunday after the 15th day of this moon, whose 14th day was allowed to precede the equinox. Where the two systems produced different dates there was generally a compromise so that both churches were able to celebrate on the same day.

How was the date of Easter determined for each year?

Calendar of the dates of Easter, for the years 532–632 A.D. (marble, in Museum of Ravenna Cathedral, Italy). As a moveable feast, the date of Easter is determined in each year through a calculation known as computus ( Latin for ‘computation’).

What is the significance of the Hare for Easter?

The most obvious is the hare’s fertility. Easter comes during spring and celebrates new life. The Christian meaning of new life through Christ and a general emphasis on new life are different, but the two gradually merged. Any animals – like the hare – that produced many offspring were easy to include.