Easter (Old English Ēostre),[nb 1] also called the Pasch[4] or Pascha (the two latter names

derived, through Latin: Pascha and Greek Πάσχα Paskha, from Hebrew: סח Pesaḥ),[5] פ,

[6] or Resurrection Sunday,[7][8] is a festival and holiday celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus

Christ from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred three days after his

crucifixion by Romans at Calvary.[9][10] It is the culmination of the Passion of Christ, preceded

by Lent, a forty-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.

The last week of Lent is called Holy Week, and it contains the days of the Easter Triduum,

including Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday), commemorating the Last

Supper and its preceding foot washing,[11][12] as well as Good Friday, commemorating

the crucifixion and death of Jesus.[13]Easter is followed by a fifty-day period called Eastertide, or

the Easter Season, ending with Pentecost Sunday.

Easter is a moveable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the civil calendar. The First

Council of Nicaea (325) established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the full

moon (the Paschal Full Moon) following the March equinox.[14] Ecclesiastically, the equinox is

reckoned to be on 21 March (although the astronomical equinox occurs on 20 March in most

years), and the "Full Moon" is not necessarily on the astronomically correct date. The date of

Easter therefore varies from 22 March to 25 April inclusive. Eastern Christianity bases its

calculations on the Julian calendar, whose 21 March corresponds, during the 21st century, to 3

April in the Gregorian calendar, and in which therefore the celebration of Easter varies between

4 April and 8 May.

Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in

the calendar. In many languages, the words for "Easter" and "Passover" are identical or very

similar.[15] Easter customs vary across the Christian world, and include sunrise services,

exclaiming the Paschal greeting, clipping the church,[16] and decorating Easter eggs, a symbol of

the empty tomb.[17][18][19] The Easter lily, a symbol of the resurrection,[20][21]traditionally decorates

the chancel area of churches on this day and for the rest of Eastertide.[22] Additional customs

that have become associated with Easter and are observed by both Christians and some non-

Christians include egg hunting, the Easter Bunny, and Easter parades.[23][24][25] There are also

various traditional Easter foods that vary regionally.