EASTER 2012- EASTER 2012-EASTER 2012- EASTER 2012 EASTER2012

EASTER 2012- EASTER 2012-EASTER 2012- EASTER 2012- EASTER2012.

EASTER  is the central religious feast in the Christian religion. Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. People all over the world celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday, two days after Good Friday and three days after Maundy Thursday. Now officially Easter lasts for the fifty days until Pentecost. Easter also marks the end of Lent, a season of fasting, prayer, and penance. There is Good Friday 2012 before Easter.

Easter 2012 falls on April 8, 2012.

The exact origins of this religious feast day's name are unknown. Some sources claim the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. Other accounts trace Easter to the Latin term hebdomada alba, or white week, an ancient reference to Easter week and the white clothing donned by people who were baptized during that time. Through a translation error, the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually became Easter in English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques.

These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew), the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites' exodus from slavery in Egypt. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter. Easter is really an entire season of the Christian church year, as opposed to a single-day observance. Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance and represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry, a time in which Christians believe he survived various temptations by the devil. The day before Lent, known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, is a last hurrah of food and fun before the fasting begins.

 The week preceding Easter is called Holy Week and includes Maundy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus' last supper with his disciples; Good Friday, which honors the day of his crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, which focuses on the transition between the crucifixion and resurrection. The 50-day period following Easter Sunday is called Eastertide and includes a celebration of Jesus' ascension into heaven. In addition to Easter's religious significance, it also has a commercial side, as evidenced by the mounds of jelly beans and marshmallow chicks that appear in stores each spring. As with Christmas, over the centuries various folk customs and pagan traditions, including Easter eggs, bunnies, baskets and candy, have become a standard part of this holy holiday.

EASTER,  one of the holiest festivals of Christians, Easter commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus after his Crucifixion. Like the origin of the festival, the precise date of Easter Sunday too has been a matter of contention. Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts, in that they do not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars (which follow the motion of the sun and the seasons). Instead, they are based on a lunar calendar. Early Christians celebrated Easter on different days of the week.

Talking about history, in 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea convoked by Emperor Constantine issued the Easter Rule, which stated that Easter shall be celebrated on the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. However, the "full moon" in the rule is the ecclesiastical full moon and it does not always occur on the same date as the astronomical full moon. The ecclesiastical "vernal equinox" is always on March 21. Therefore, Easter can be celebrated as early as on March 22 or as late as on April 25.

Another distinctive change that came about was with the celebration days. While traditionally, Eastertide lasted for forty days from Easter Day i.e. until Ascension Day, things are different in the present times. Nowadays, Easter officially lasts for the fifty days until Pentecost. In Western Christianity, Easter is always celebrated on the Sunday immediately following the Paschal Full Moon. A spring time festival, Easter, in Christian countries, is a religious holiday, celebrated with great pomp and show. Though primarily it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God, there are various customs and legends that are associated with it.

Easter also characterizes the end of Lent season, a period for fasting, prayer and penance. Celebration for Easter starts from days in advance. The last week of Lent observes Palm Sunday, which signifies Lord Jesus' successful entry to Jerusalem. On this day, the crowd at Jerusalem laid palm leaves at His feet, thereby acquiring the name as Palm Sunday. Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday refers to the Last Supper, which was held in the evening, before the Crucifixion. Good Friday commemorates the anniversary of the Crucifixion, the day when Christ was crucified and died on the cross.

While the religious observations of the festival follow the Christian church, the basic contours of Easter celebration may vary in different countries due to regional influences. In 2011, the Easter date i.e. on April 24th, not only stand for western calendar (Catholic and Protestant Churches), but also for the Eastern Orthodox Church. Surprisingly unusual, there are a few years in every century when the Easter dates for both the groups match completely. So, Easter in 2011 would surely be an extra special festival, doubling up the grandeur and magnificence!


EASTER EGGS
Easter eggs are special eggs that are often given to celebrate Easter or springtime.

The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans. These eggs can be hidden for children to find on Easter morning, who may be told they were left by the Easter Bunny. They also may be put in a basket filled with real or artificial straw to resemble a bird's nest.

The children in America and Canada believes that the rabbits brings Easter Eggs.  But the children of Italy, Belgium and France believes that the bell of the Churches are bringing the easter eggs.  In this connection it may please be seen that the bells of Churches will not rung during the 3 days of Easter.  This will also cause children to think and believe like that.

The biggest Easter Egg  made in the world was the Easter Egg made in the year 2011 by Mr. Zigfreed Bernet  a  cook in Sastar in England.  The prize won by this was a-  big kitchen with all modern facilities.  The weight of  the Easter Egg was 4444 Kgs. The height of this Easter Egg was 12 Feet.