Have you ever wondered why Easter is called Easter, when it’s actually known as Resurrection Day by many? While these names are often used for the same holiday, the meaning and observance of the day can vary widely depending on one’s beliefs or traditions. For Christians, Easter is uniquely important as a celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, which marks the foundation of their faith. In Jewish tradition, this time of year is significant because of Passover, a festival commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. Passover does not observe the resurrection of Jesus and remains a distinct holiday, though the timing is historically connected. Muslims do not celebrate Easter; instead, they honor Jesus (known as Isa in Islam) as a prophet and believe he was taken up into heaven alive, but there is no holiday recognizing a resurrection event. Jehovah’s Witnesses, meanwhile, refrain from celebrating Easter because they view its customs as having roots in non-Christian traditions. Additionally, for many people who are secular or part of Pagan communities, Easter’s timing often overlaps with spring festivals focused on themes of renewal and nature, with observances unrelated to the Christian or Jewish holidays. Each group has its own perspective and way of marking this season, reflecting the rich diversity of beliefs and customs worldwide.
Easter Sunday, known to Christians as Resurrection Day, commemorates the belief that Jesus Christ rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion, as described in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 15:4). This event is considered the foundation of the Christian faith, symbolizing hope, redemption, and new life. The timing of Easter is closely connected to the Jewish celebration of Passover, since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus occurred during that period in the biblical timeline. Over the centuries, the observance of Easter became firmly established within Christianity. The English name “Easter” stands out among many world languages; it is thought by some historians to come from Eostre, a Germanic goddess associated with spring and renewal, whose festival was celebrated around the vernal equinox. This contrasts with many other languages, such as Italian (Pasqua), Spanish (Pascua), and Greek (Pascha), which use variations of the word “Passover” and directly reflect the connection to the Jewish festival. Because of this blend of religious history and seasonal symbolism, the holiday today carries both deep spiritual meaning for Christians and broader cultural traditions that celebrate the arrival of spring (Life & Letters 2021).
One interesting fact many people may not realize is that the word “Easter” itself does not appear in most early Christian languages. In many cultures, the holiday is called something closer to the word “Passover,” such as Pascha in Greek, because the resurrection of Jesus occurred during the Jewish Passover festival. While Easter and Passover often fall around the same time in the spring and share themes of freedom, renewal, and hope, their meanings and traditions are distinct. Passover commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt with rituals like the Seder meal and storytelling focused on their history. Easter, on the other hand, celebrates the resurrection of Jesus with church services and symbols focused on new life in Christian belief. According to historical scholars, Jesus traveled to Jerusalem to observe Passover when he was eventually crucified, and early Christians connected his resurrection with that same season. Because of this connection, the earliest Christian celebrations of the resurrection were closely tied to the timing of Passover (Life & Letters 2021).
Another fascinating detail about Easter is that its date changes every year. Unlike holidays with fixed calendar dates, Easter is determined by a combination of the solar and lunar calendars. In the year A.D. 325, church leaders gathered at the Council of Nicaea and decided that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. One of the main reasons for this choice was to unify Christian communities that had celebrated the resurrection on different dates, thereby bringing consistency across regions. In addition, this method aligned Easter with the Jewish festival of Passover, reflecting the historical connection between the two. Because of this rule, Easter can fall anywhere between late March and late April, which is why the holiday never lands on the same day each year (Life & Letters 2021).
Many of the traditions people associate with Easter today, such as colorful eggs, candy, and the Easter bunny, developed much later and were shaped by cultural customs over time. Decorated eggs have been part of Easter celebrations since at least medieval times and were often used as a symbol of new life, which connects well with both the arrival of spring and the Christian message of resurrection. In fact, exchanging eggs and celebrating fertility are found in older springtime and pagan festivals that honored renewal and growth at this time of year. The Easter bunny tradition appeared in Germany during the 17th century, where stories told of a hare that brought eggs to well-behaved children. The hare was also a symbol of fertility in ancient European folklore, often linked to spring. When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania in the 1700s and 1800s, they brought this tradition with them, helping it spread across the United States. Over time, these customs became part of the family-friendly celebrations many people enjoy today, known as Easter. (Life & Letters 2021).