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Easter

When the shops are full of Easter eggs you know it will soon be Easter. But Easter isn't just about chocolate eggs. Here you can find out the facts about Easter and about its traditions.  At Easter time Christians remember the last week of Jesus' life.

Good Friday

On Good Friday Christians remember the day that Jesus was killed on the cross. He was nailed to a wooden cross by Roman soldiers. This is the reason why the cross is an important sign for Christians today. There are crosses in churches and many Christians wear a cross on a chain.  At Easter people eat hot cross buns which have a cross shape on the top. Good Friday is a sad day and churches never have flowers or decorations on this day. The church is left dark and there is just a simple cross on the altar. It is known as Good Friday because Christians believe that Jesus gave up his life for the good of everyone.

The Crucifixion is remembered in Jerusalem even today. Large crowds of Christians take the same path as Jesus. In some countries people act out the story of Jesus' last day while others watch and think about the events which happened long ago.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is a happy day for Christians because they believe that Jesus rose from the dead on this day. They believe that Jesus' resurrection or coming alive shows that death is not the end of everything. Many go to church to thank God for Jesus' life. Church bells are rung and churches are decorated with flowers such as white lilies which are associated with Easter.

To learn more please access the resources below.

Easter Eggs

There are many customs associated with Easter Day which involve eggs. For this reason Easter Day used to be known as Egg Sunday. For the last two hundred years in Britain the custom of giving children chocolate eggs has been popular while in Europe and America parents hide chocolate eggs in the garden for children to find. In many countries children are given hard boiled eggs and it is also a custom for children to decorate these by painting or dyeing them in bright colours.

Eggs were always thought to be special even before Jesus was born. It is because they are associated with new life when the chick breaks from the egg. After Jesus had risen from the dead it was easy to think of eggs as a sign of new life. So eggs have always been part of celebrations at Easter.