Why do we celebrate Easter? What to know about the widely observed Christian holiday
Easter, whether observed at church or home with baskets of colorful eggs, has become a day of celebration for millions of people globally.
Easter Sunday, an important day for members of the Christian faith, commemorates the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ after a 40-day season of prayer known as Lent.
The holiday is also the last day of Holy Week, a week's worth of events paying homage to the final days leading up to Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection.
"It's the church's highest feast, because, without it, there will be no church," Ulrich Lehner, theology professor at the University of Notre Dame, previously told USA TODAY about Easter.
While some partake in more traditional practices like prayer or mass on Easter Sunday, others enjoy a more secular interpretation with baskets, egg decorating, egg hunting, and of course, the Easter Bunny.
Here is what to know about Easter Sunday, including more details about its origin story.
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Easter is typically celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon, occurring on or after the vernal, or spring, equinox. Because the equinox usually occurs between March 20 and March 21, Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25.
Christ's resurrection, as written in scripture, occurs three days after he was crucified by Romans in 30 A.D. Easter, some 2,000 years later, remains one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world.
The story of Christ's resurrection served as the "foundation of faith" for early Christians, Nadieszda Kizenko, director of religious studies at the University at Albany, previously told USA TODAY. The holiday holds the same significance to Christians, even now.
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Easter is the "biggest day" of all Christian holidays because of the message it represents, Kizenko says.
"The birth of Jesus in itself was not a momentous occasion to the rest of the world because his ministry only became obvious when he became a grown-up," she said. "Easter basically means the triumph over death."
Eastern celebrations in the modern era vary from household to household.
Some attend church services and reflect through prayer, while others eat chocolate bunnies and take pictures with the Easter Bunny to commemorate the day. Some families do both.
The circumstances surrounding how bunnies became enfolded in such a rich Christian tradition remain a mystery, but it does seem to predate Christianity.
One of the earliest origins comes from Pagan tradition, symbolizing fertility and renewal. The bunny later became a part of German folklore that made its way into the United States in the late 18th century.
"Fertility means new life," Lehner said. "Well, in Christianity, you have this new life in Easter. It's a symbol that's good and imaginative and in people's memory."
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Eggs also share a similar significance. You might not expect an animal to come from such a tiny, unassuming thing, which, in a way, alludes to the unexpected resurrection of Christ. Dyeing eggs also dates back to the ancient Middle East when people used onion skins to color them, Kizenko said.
Since observers gave up meat and dairy products during the early days of Lent, they took great care to prepare and color eggs for when they were allowed to consume them.
"Being able to eat eggs once again was a really big deal," Kizenko said. "That's when people started the custom of decorating eggs. After seven weeks of not eating meat or dairy, you feel like Superman."
Contributing: Olivia Munson, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Easter 2025: Origins of the Christian holiday and why it's celebrated
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