Easter

Easter

There are several church services and events during the week leading up to
Easter. Holy Week itself is from Palm Sunday until the Saturday before
Easter Day.

Background

Easter is the most important of all Christian festivals. All churches throughout

the world and down through the ages believe that Jesus was crucified and that

after three days he rose from the dead. Easter Sunday is a celebration of his

resurrection. Although this belief is fundamental to Christianity it was difficult for

many in the early church to grasp and so to convince them of the importance of it

the apostle Paul, one of the 1st century founders ofChristianity, wrote to the newly

formed church:

"If Christ hasn't come back to life, our message has no meaning and your

faith also has no meaning...."

the empty cross in Craigsbank church is a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus

Lead up to Easter

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and covers a period of approximately six weeks

before Easter Sunday. Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the

celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus'

sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days prior to his ministry. Lent is often

marked by fasting, both from food and festivities. Find out more about Lent.

Holy Week - is the week just before Easter. It is the last week of Lent, and includes

Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday Christians celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

This occurred the week before his death and resurrection. When Jesus entered

Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him by waving palm branches and covering his path

with palm branches.This great welcome contrasts vividly with the events later that week

which which led to his being put to death on the Friday.

Read more about Palm Sunday

Frescoe from Church of Saviour on the Spilled Blood, St Petersburg

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with the disciples.

During the meal Jesus took bread and wine and shared it with them. The Last

Supper was a Passover meal – the meal Jewish people share to celebrate the time

when God delivered Moses and the people from slavery in Egypt.

The Last Supper Nikolai 1831 -1894

The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas

in the Garden of Gethsemane. Read more

The name Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum meaning a commandment.

At the Last Supper Jesus said:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved

you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know

that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Read more about Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

This is the day on which Christ was crucified. It is not a day for celebration but

for quiet remembrance. The Corstorphine churches mark it with a walk through

the streets carrying a cross . This is followed by a joint service.

Corstorphine Churches Together

      Christ Crowned with Thorns, Bouts c1415

Easter Sunday

Christians believe that on Easter Sunday Christ rose from from the dead. This event

is called the Resurrection. This makes Easter Sunday the focal point of the Christian

calendar.