Teacher : Carla Soares Work done by : Ana Viegas 7ºD, Nº1

Easter is the most important celebration for theChristians.

According to the Bible three days after hiscrucifixion, he came back to life, it means, happened his resurrection.

Some Christians celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday. The week from Palm Sunday to Easter is known as Holy Week. Easter also marks the end of Lent, a season of fasting, prayer, and penance.

Easter is a moveable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the calendar.

In Eastern Christianity, the spiritual preparation for Pascha begins with Great Lent, which starts on Clean Monday and lasts for 40 continuous days. The last week of Great Lent is called Palm Week, and ends with Lazarus Saturday.

The Easter festival is kept in many different ways.

On Good Friday Christians remember the day that Jesus was killed on the cross.

Good Friday is a sad day and churches never have flowers or decorations on this day. The church is left dark and there is just a simple cross on the altar.

Easter Sunday is a happy day for Christians because they believe that Jesus rose from the dead on this day. Many people go to church to thank God for Jesus' life. Church bells are rung and churches are decorated with flowers. The colours in the church change to white or gold which are the best colours.

The Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny is not a modern invention. The symbol originated with the pagan festival of Eastre.

The Germans brought the symbol of the Easter rabbit to America. It was widely ignored by other Christians until shortly after the Civil War. In fact, Easter itself was not widely celebrated in America until after that time.

The Easter Egg

The Easter Egg predates the Christian holiday of Easter. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians.

Today, children hunt colored eggs and place them in Easter baskets along with the modern version of real Easter eggs.

Egg hunt is a game during which decorated eggs, real ones or artificial, are hidden in various places for children to find. The game may be both indoors and outdoors.

Eggs are placed with varying degree of concealment, to accommodate children of varying ages. In South German folk traditions it was customary to add extra obstacles to the game by placing them into hard-to reach places.

Did you know ? Eggs hunts are a subject of the Guinness Book of World

Records.

The Easter Bells

Easter bells are rung in France and Italy throughout the year but not on the Thursday before good Friday. They are silent as way to remember the death of Jesus. Then they are rung on Easter Sunday as way of telling people Jesus is alive.

Easter Lamb

Many people serve lamb as part of the Easter feast or dinner. In many homes, a lamb-shaped cake decorates the table.