This month's newsletter will have links to watch videos about Easter

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Welcome to our newsletter for April. Topic is festivals - Easter.
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Easter is a Christian holiday that is similar to Christmas.  However, instead of Jesus’ birth, it celebrates his crucifixion, death, and resurrection.

Crucifixion means to be sentenced to death by being nailed to a wooden cross.  This punishment was used by the Romans in extreme cases.

During the time of Jesus, the Romans ruled most of the Mediterranean world, including Jesus’ hometown Judea.  Jesus was seen as threat to Roman rule, so they crucified him. Click here to watch video.
Easter holiday is celebrated over three days; starting on a Friday known as "Good Friday'" and ending on Easter Sunday.

Passover is a Jewish holiday celebrating their freedom from slavery.

Judas Iscariot was Jesus' best friend, but betrayed him by turning him in to the Romans.

The Last Supper was Jesus' last meal, before he was arrested by the Romans.

He was then beaten by Roman soldiers.

After being beaten, he had to carry his own cross to the place where he’d be killed.

The soldiers stripped him and nailed him to the cross.

The cross was raised, and placed on top was a sign saying "King of the Jews."

On Good Friday, Jesus died.  Afterwards, he was taken down from the cross.

He was covered in a shroud, and placed in a tomb.

On the third day – or Easter Sunday -- he rose from the dead with holes in his hands and feet. This return from the dead, or resurrection, is what Easter celebrates.

Click here to watch video about the history of Easter.

Passover is not celebrated on a certain day.  It is based on the lunar calendar, so it changes every year.

The Roman Emperor Constantine, decided to make Easter on a Sunday.

Since Easter falls two days after Passover, it was not fixed on a certain day.
He chose the first Sunday that follows the full moon after the spring equinox.

Some Jewish Passover beliefs carry over into Christian Easter traditions. For instance, lambs were sacrificed on Passover, and later Christians referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God.

Easter can be on any weekend between March 22 and April 25.

It is speculated that the word Easter might have come from "Ishtar" who was the Assyrian Goddess of Fertility.

Eggs were a symbol of new life to the Pagans. When Christianity came to Europe, the eggs were painted red.

The Christians changed the meaning of the color red to represent the blood of Christ.  The yellow yolk inside still represented new life.
Why do we have a rabbit associated with easter?

Pre-Christian Europe celebrated fertility rituals in Spring.  These celebrated life returning to earth after winter.  The two most common symbols of creating new life were rabbits and eggs.  When Christianity arrived, they added the resurrection of Jesus to this idea of rebirth, but they kept the pagan symbols to keep the locals happy.

Easter is not Easter without chocolate Easter eggs or chocolate bunnies.

Parents will leave eggs beside their children's bed before they wake up on Easter Sunday.

Traditional Easter games are the Easter egg hunt, parents will hide eggs and the children go and find them.

Also, the Easter egg roll, there is one held at the White House in America.

Hot Cross Buns: eaten on Good Friday, the white cross represents the Crucifix.

Holy Communion: a ritual to commemorate the Last Super.

Christians are offered bread and wine, which was eaten during the Last Supper.
Click here to watch video.
Body of Christ: bread represents the flesh of Jesus.
Blood of Christ: wine represents the blood of Jesus.
In Australia, a native animal called the Bilby which looks like a rabbit is now the official Easter Bilby.
This concept is to bring awareness to this endangered animal. This also gives an Australian feel to European traditions.
Born again
To start life over again.

In some forms of Christianity, they consider joining to be a kind of rebirth.  So, you will be called a Born Again Christian.

"I have become a born again Christian."
Apostles: these were the first followers of Jesus.
Resurrection: to come back to life after you have died.

Centurions: the Roman soldiers in charge of 100 men.
Equinox: when the sun is in line with the equator. When winter becomes spring.
Stigmata: some people claim that their hands and feet have the wounds of Jesus.
Crown of Thorns: the Roman Centurions placed thorns on Jesus' head to humilate him.
"To put all of your eggs in one basket."
This means to risk losing everything at one time
"Don't count all your chickens before they're hatched."

Don’t make plans based on uncertain events.