When is Easter?
When is Easter? | What day is Easter 2024? | When is Easter this year? | Which Sunday is Easter?
When is Easter in 2024?
Easter Sunday also known as the day of resurrection of Jesus Christ will fall on Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Why Is Easter So Early in 2024?
This year, Easter falls on Sunday, March 31st, 2024. Easter Sunday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, occurring on the third day after his crucifixion, following the observances of Good Friday and Holy Saturday during Holy Week.
While Easter typically occurs between March 22nd and April 25th, it’s noteworthy that this is the first time since 2016 that Easter falls in March. Following this year, Easter will return to April in 2025 and 2026 before shifting back to March 27th in 2027
Why do we celebrate Easter?
Easter is considered one of the most important festivals of the Christian community worldwide. It is celebrated to recognize Christ’s resurrection from the dead, following the crucifixion. Easter Sunday marks the end of the forty days Lent season.
When is the Holy week in 2024? | HOLY WEEK
Holy Week, according to the Church is the name given to the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. It is a week of the close proximity of Christians with the sufferings of Christ. The entire week is called Holy week due to the observance of important days during the entire week. The week begins with the observance of Palm Sunday, followed by Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, (Easter Vigil) and concludes with Easter Sunday.
March 24-30, 2024
What is the significance of the Holy Week?
Holy week reminds Christians of the sacrifices made by God by giving his only son Jesus Christ to be sacrificed to save sinners and the love of God for his people.
HOW TO OBSERVE THE HOLY WEEK | What Happened during Holy Week?
It is a time of self-realization and repentance from our sins. Generally, people observe the Holy week by doing different things such as attending daily mass during the Holy week, fasting for the entire week, some people prefer not to eat meat the entire week, some give up on other delicacies which they relish like ice- creams, chocolates, etc. It is a time for self-introspection and to understand the sufferings of Christ with the utmost solemnity.
| Important Dates of Lent | Brief Overview of Significance | 2024 Dates |
| Palm Sunday | Celebrates Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem | March 24, 2024 |
| Holy Week | The week leading up to Easter | March 24, 2024 – March 31, 2024 |
| Maundy Thursday | Commemorates the feet washing and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. | March 28, 2024 |
| Good Friday | Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. | March 29, 2024 |
| Holy Saturday | Commemorates Jesus’s body resting in the tomb. | March 30, 2024 |
| Easter Sunday | Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and his victory over death. | March 31, 2024 |
“Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter that begins the Holy Week. It is the day that we remember and celebrate the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as Savior and King. As Jesus rode a donkey into the town of Jerusalem a large crowd gathered and laid palm branches and their cloaks across the road, giving Jesus royal treatment. The hundreds of people shouted ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’”
HOW DID JESUS SPENT THE HOLY WEEK? (Mark 11:12-19)
Everything Jesus did, he did with authority. So when he awoke his disciples on Monday saying he wanted to go back into Jerusalem to teach. Everyone had sensed something strange as if his end was drawing near.
(Mark 11:27, 14:2)
While on Monday, Jesus enters the temple to cleanse and purify the temple. On one hand questioned about his authority to do things, he continues to teach God’s word in the temple.
Just two days before the Passover of the unleavened bread the Chiefs and the scribes were planning and building a plot to arrest and kill Christ.
(Mark 14:3-11)
A few days left before his death, Jesus is calm and still. He visits the house of Simon the leper. Mary the sister of Lazarus comes there with a jar of perfume and began pouring it on Jesus’s head. Some people questioned her for wasting such an expensive perfume on him by simply pouring on him while she could have given the money to the poor. Jesus appreciates her gesture as he says that the poor will remain with everyone always but not him. He knew that by this gesture Mary was actually preparing him for the burial that was to follow.
What Is Maundy Thursday?
Maundy Thursday (Mark 14:12-72)
A day before crucifixion is popularly known as Maundy Thursday. This day marks two important things One, Jesus washing the feet of his disciples followed by the last supper (which became symbolic of the Eucharist). Indeed a very solemn day in the Christian faith. Jesus is in the upper room with his disciples, he washes the feet of his disciples and makes them realise this was being done to make them clean. Two, During this time Jesus declares that it was one amongst his own disciples who was going to betray him. Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.
During the last supper, Jesus speaks of bread as his body and the cup as his blood. And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.
What Is Good Friday? | Good Friday (Mark 15:1-47)
On Thursday night in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was arrested—betrayed by one of his disciples called Judas Iscariot. And they led Jesus to the High Priest and all the Chief priests and scribes came together to discuss about him. Jesus was handed over to Pilate and people appeal to him to release Barabbas a murderer and crucify Jesus. So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
On Good Friday we remember the day Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Though Jesus died on the day of Good Friday yet it is considered as “GOOD FRIDAY” because it was through resurrection he heralded his victory over sin and death on Easter Sunday.
What Is Holy Saturday? | Holy Saturday (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34)
As far as Saturday is concerned we may not make much information of this day, when we look at the few verses the Gospels give us about it, we find it was by no means forgotten by the chief priests who had handed Jesus over to death. During his ministry, Jesus had repeatedly said he would die in Jerusalem at the hands of the chief priests, yet on the third day rise again. Holy Saturday marks a day of establishing right our relationship with the Spirit of the Lord.
What Is Easter? | Easter Sunday (MARK16:4-7)
It is also called as the day of resurrection of Christ from the dead. Early in the morning, the women who had prepared the spices before the Sabbath returned to Jesus’ tomb to find it empty thereby completing the prophesy, that Jesus will eventually rise from the dead on the third day. Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar. It commemorates God raising his son Jesus from the dead on the third day as well as the destruction of the power of sin and death forever. It symbolizes the opening of the gates of Heaven with the gift of eternal life to all mankind.
EASTER GIFTS
Easter Sunday is a day of thanksgiving with family and loved ones.
Most popular gift items on Easter are Easter Eggs, (Eggs represent new life and rebirth), Easter Bunny, Easter Gift hampers, Customised chocolates for Easter, Easter Lily bouquets, Customised mugs with Easter quotes and names.
Easter Wishes for Friends and Family
- Happy Easter! May this day be a special one for you and your loved ones.
- May the resurrection of Christ bring in you a renewed spirit. Happy Easter.
- The spirit of Easter is all about hope, thanksgiving, and prayer. Have a joyous day ahead.
- Warmest thoughts to you and your family. Happy Easter!
- May all your sorrows turn into joy, and may all your desires come true in this season of hope. Happy Easter.
- Wishing you and your family the brightest days filled with sunshine Happy Easter!
- May your Easter basket be filled with joy, happiness, and peace this season and always.
- You are special to me today and always. Happy Easter!
- Love, warmth, and memorable moments—what more could you need? Have a blessed Easter.
- Enjoy your Easter, and may you be blessed with the joy of Easter for the year ahead.
- Wishing you a season filled with peace, joy, and the choicest blessings of the Almighty. Happy Easter!
- Hoping this Easter brings out the best moments in life. Happy Easter.
- Wishing you loads of smiles, beams of sunshine, and lots of sweet treats this Easter day.
Q. When is Orthodox Easter?
A. The Eastern Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar (versus the Gregorian calendar), which often means a different date for Easter Sunday, though the calendars do sometimes coincide. This year, Orthodox Easter falls on May 5, 2024
What Lent and Why is it Celebrated?