What is the Easter Season About?

2009 Western Easter Calendar

Feb. 24 Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras)

Feb. 25 Ash Wednesday

Feb. 25-Apr. 11 Lent

Apr. 5-11 Holy WeekApr. 5 Palm SundayApr. 8 Holy WednesdayApr. 9 Maundy ThursdayApr. 10 Good Friday

Apr. 12 Easter

Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras)

King of the Niece Carnival in 2007.

Fat Tuesday: • French, Mardi Gras• Tuesday before lent• Festival for days before fat Tuesday, carousing, lasciviousness

Ash Wednesday

Ashes on worshiper’s forehead, shape of a

cross.

Ash Wednesday• named for practice of putting ashes on foreheads as sign of repentance

Lent

Roman Catholic Pope, Lent, 2006.

Lent• Ash Wednesday till Easter• Fasting, prayer, alms giving, penance, self- denial• representative of the days Jesus spent in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry

Palm Sunday

Oriental Orthodox congregation in India, outside its church with palm fronds on Palm

Sunday .

Palm Sunday• one week before Easter• services include processions (parades), and palm branches• commemorates Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

Holy Week

Sunday Palm Sunday

Wednesday Holy Wednesday

Thursday Maundy Thursday

Friday Good Friday

Holy Wednesday

Judas (right) dropping the 30 pieces of silver

priests gave him to betray Jesus.

Holy Wednesday• observes 1st day Judas conspired to betray Christ• church services, local traditions

Holy Thursday

Catholic priest washing feet, Holy Thursday.

Holy Thursday• commemorates the Lord’s Supper• church services, communion, washing feet

Good Friday

Good Friday procession in Bombay, Indian Roman Catholics,

depicting theWay of the Cross.

Good Friday• Friday before Easter• commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion• fasting, church services, street processions, special prayers, nailing to crosses

Easter

Russian Orthodox priest blessing Easter baskets.

Easter• commemorates resurrection of Christ• 1st century Christians did not observe• church services, baptisms, holy water, sunrise services, communion• Easter Baskets, Easter Eggs, Easter Bunny

Observance as a Church of Christ

Paul warned. . . .Gal. 4:9-11 not observe pagan religionCol. 2:16-19 not holding fast to headEph. 5:23-24 church subject to Christ

Has no value against fleshCol. 2:20-23

Churches observing man-made decrees2 Jn. 1:9 not have GodMk. 7:6-9 vain worshipRev. 22:18-19 lost in sin

Observance as a Christian

Paul kept secular customs1 Cor. 9:20-21 Jew, Gentile, Law of Christ

Rom. 14: instructions. . . .vs. 5 personal observance of daysvs. 5 fully convinced – faith (vs. 23)vs. 6-8 done for the Lordvs. 19-22 not stumbling block

What is the Easter Season About?