General
What is Easter?!
Sunday, 4 April is the day when everyone in the Netherlands starts looking for Easter eggs, are painting eggs and eating Easter bread. But why do we do this and what is Easter really about?
On Sunday 4 April, Christians celebrate Jesus' rising from the dead, a very important occasion. Here he received a new and immortal body, he was also the first to have overcome death. Easter is celebrated in many countries, almost all except for ten countries.
But how is Easter celebrated?
On Sunday morning, Protestant and Evangelical Christians have an extra festive gathering. There is a lot of singing and sometimes even dancing. Many Catholic Christians hold a wake in the night before this Sunday morning. Here they meditate, pray and sing all night. For them, the sun rising the next morning is a symbol of new life. A very beautiful thought.
Do the Easter eggs have anything to do with the original Easter story?
No, the Easter eggs have nothing to do with the story of Jesus or the Christians. There are stories that there was an evil pagan goddess called Eastra. Here you hear the English word 'easter', which may explain the name. The goddess sometimes appeared as a wild jumping hare. In addition, eggs are a symbol of spring. By putting everything together, the Christian Easter celebration came to existence.
In the Netherlands, we paint Easter eggs and eat together. The Passion is also broadcast on TV on the evening before Good Friday every year. Here, the Easter story is translated by well-known Dutch people into a slightly more modern era. Definitely worth watching!
Now that you know what Easter is all about I would say, go to the store, buy a box of eggs and start painting!
