Every year, around mid-April, the entire baptized world, dressed in merriment and joy, solemnly celebrates the bright holiday of the Resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ. Everywhere the bells ring, religious processions pass, candles and lamps are lit. People go to temples, light cakes and colorful colored eggs, smile and kiss Christosely, greeting each other with shouts of "Christ is Risen" and answering "in truth is risen". And it does not matter in what language these words are pronounced, they mean the same enthusiastic congratulations and good news. And where did this custom come from, and from what exactly did the story of the beginning and celebration of Easter begin? Let's digress for a while from the celebration and study this important and interesting question.
The Exodus from Slavery
The history of the celebration of Easter is rooted in the depths of centuries. And in order to better understand and study it, we will have to turn to the great book of the Bible, namely to its part called "Exodus." In this part it is narrated that the Jewish people, who were slaves of the Egyptians, suffered great torments and oppression from their masters. But, in spite of this, they trusted in God's mercy and remembered the covenant and the Promised Land. Among the Jews there was one man named Moses, whom God also chose as a prophet. Having given his brother Aaron to help Moses, the Lord worked miracles through them and sent to Egyptians various executions by the number 10. Egyptian Pharaoh long did not want to release his slaves for freedom. Then God commanded the Israelites to slaughter each family one year old male lamb and without blemish. And with his blood, anoint the crossbeams of the doors of his home. The lamb needed to be eaten a night without breaking his bones. At night the angel of God passed through Egypt and killed all the Egyptian first-born from cattle to man, and did not touch Jewish dwellings. In fear, Pharaoh drove the Israelites out of the country. But when they approached the shores of the Red Sea, he came to his senses and pursued his slaves. However, God opened the waters of the sea and led the Jews along the sea, as by land, and Pharaoh was sunk. In honor of this event, from then until now, the Jews celebrate Easter as a release from Egyptian captivity.
The Sacrifice of Christ
But the story of the origin and appearance of the feast of the Passover does not end here. After many centuries after the event described above on the Israeli earth Jesus Christ was born the savior of the world from the slavery of hell over the souls of men. According to the testimony of the Gospel, Christ was born of the Virgin Mary and lived in the house of the carpenter Joseph. When he was 30 years old, he went out to preach, teaching people the commandments of God. After 3 years he was crucified on the cross, on Mount Calvary. It happened after the holiday of the Jewish Easter on Friday. And on Thursday there was a secret supper, where Christ established the sacrament of the Eucharist, introducing bread and wine as his body and blood. Like the lamb in the Old Testament, Christ was slain for the sins of the world, and his bones were also not broken.
The history of the feast of Easter from early Christianity to the Middle Ages
According to the testimonies of the same Bible, after the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ to heaven, the history of the celebration of Easter developed as follows: after Pentecost Easter celebrated each resurrection, gathering for a meal and celebrating the Eucharist. The feast was especially honored on the day of the death and resurrection of Christ, which at first fell on the day of the Jewish Passover. But already in the II century, Christians came to the opinion that it was not proper to perform the Passover of Christ on the same day as the Jews who had scattered it, and decided to celebrate it the next Sunday after the Jewish Passover. This continued until the Middle Ages, until the Christian church was divided into Orthodox and Catholic.
Easter - the history of the holiday in our days
In modern life the history of the celebration of Easter was divided into 3 streams - Easter Orthodox, Easter Catholic and Passover Jewish. Each of them acquired its own traditions and customs. But from this solemnity and joy from the holiday itself did not become less. Simply for each nation and even for every person, it is purely personal and at the same time common. And let this holiday holiday and the celebration of celebrations also touch your hearts, dear readers. Happy Easter, love and peace!