The 50 Days of EASTER

From April 4th through May 22nd this year, we will be celebrating “The Fifty Days of the Season of Easter”, The Celebration of The Resurrection of our Lord, Eastertide. Easter is the oldest Christian Festival, Feast Day, and is the source of all the rest of the Church Year. On the first day of the week, Sunday, at early dawn, Jesus rose from the dead. Each Sunday thereafter was and is celebrated as a “Little Easter.” This is what changed the day of worship in the early Church from the Sabbath (Saturday) to The Lord’s Day, Sunday.

The early Church celebrated Easter for an octave (eight days), through the following Sunday. Those baptized on Easter were required to attend every worship service during those eight days. They were also required to wear white robes through this whole time. Consequently, the first Sunday after Easter was originally known as “White Sunday.”

Easter, based upon the supreme act of God in raising The Son from the dead, is the chief event for the Christian and the highest of the days in the church calendar. The resurrection was, and is, celebrated each Sunday and for that reason each Sunday of the church year is considered a festival. Easter is so important that the entire church year revolves around it. Christmas is the only festival, feast day, with a fixed date. Other festivals, feast days, and seasons depend upon the date of Easter which varies from year to year.

Christians are still not agreed on the date of Easter and in ancient times non-Christians ridiculed Christians for not being able to decide upon the date of their chief event. The crucifixion of Christ took place during the Hebrew Passover, which is dated by the moon. Therefore, the issue was settled by the Council of Nicea in 325 C.E. and all Christians were ordered to accept the first full moon after the first day of Spring (the Vernal Equinox – March 20th this year) as the date for Easter. Thus, Easter may fall anywhere between March 22nd and April 25th. This year Easter falls on Sunday, April 4, 2021.

During this season of Easter, in the days and the weeks to come (Easter is also known as “The Week of Weeks” – being seven weeks long), I wish each of you the blessings, presence, and Grace which our Resurrected Lord has to give!

May the Peace of The LORD be with you through these Fifty Days of Eastertide – The Celebration of The Resurrection of our Lord. A very Blessed Easter to you!

Sincerely,
Pastor Jon Beake