What Is Easter?

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NINE (9) QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT EASTER

WHAT IS EASTER?

Easter is the sacred celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead. It is the oldest and holiest Christian festival, the climax and center of the liturgical year, and the holy day to which all other holy days point. Even denominations that do not strictly follow a liturgical calendar commemorate Easter with tremendous joy and thanksgiving.

Like pagans, Christians celebrate the end of death and the rebirth of life; but instead of focusing upon nature, Christians believe that Easter marks the day that Jesus Christ was resurrected after spending three days dead in his tomb. Many theologians argue that the word EASTER comes from EOSTUR, the Norse word for spring, but it’s more likely that it comes from EOSTRE, the name of an Anglo-Saxon goddess.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF EASTER?

Although Easter is probably the oldest Christian celebration aside from the Sabbath, it wasn’t always the same as what people currently think of when they look at Easter services. The earliest known observance, Pasch, occurred between the second and fourth centuries. These celebrations commemorated both Jesus’ death and his resurrection at once, whereas these two events have now been split up between Good Friday and Easter Sunday in modern times.

WHEN IS EASTER CELEBRATED?

Easter can occur on any date between March 23rd and April 26th and is closely related to the timing of the Spring Equinox. The actual date is set as the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs after March 21, one of the first days of spring. Originally Easter was celebrated at the same time as Jews celebrated Passover, the 14th day of the month of Nisan. Eventually this was moved to Sundays, which had become the Christian Sabbath.

WHY DOES THE DATE OF EASTER KEEP CHANGING?

The gospels tell us that Christ's death and resurrection took place during Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the sacred commemoration of Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-17). Passover is a festival that always falls on the evening of the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. The Feast of Unleavened Bread follows immediately on 15 Nisan and lasts seven days. Although Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are separate festivals, they have usually been considered to be a single multi-day observance. Therefore, the gospel of John refers to Passover as the "Day of Preparation" and the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a "High Day Sabbath" (John 19:31). The ancient Hebrew calendar is based on twelve lunar months, which is a total of approximately 354 days -- 11 days short of the full cycle of the seasons. Passover must fall in the spring because that is the time of year that lambs are matures enough to slaughter for the feast (Exodus 12:5). To keep the month of Nisan in the spring, a 13th month is added to the Hebrew calendar every three years or so. The result is that Passover always begins in the March/April time frame but on a different day each year. Since the date of Passover is movable, the date of Easter, which was originally based on Passover, is also movable.

By the middle of the second century A.D., Christians determined the date of Easter in several ways based on local ordinances, but two methods were predominant. In Asia Minor (modern Turkey), churches celebrated the resurrection of Jesus on 14 Nisan, the first day of Passover, whether or not this day was a Sunday. Congregations in other areas celebrated the resurrection on the Sunday after 14 Nisan. This discrepancy in the dating of Easter was one of the topics on the agenda of the Council of Nicaea, an official gathering of hundreds of theologians and bishops that took place in the year 325. The council established the rule that Easter is to be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. Disagreements on the dating of Easter persisted, however. Differences in language and theology and poor communication between widely scattered churches resulted in many more years of controversy before the Nicene formula became generally accepted.

A significant disparity continues to exist today. Churches of the Eastern rites (Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, etc.) base the date of Easter on the vernal equinox of the Julian calendar of the Roman Empire. Churches of the West (Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, and Protestant) follow the Gregorian calendar, a revision of the Julian calendar that went into effect in Europe starting in 1582. The result is that Eastern rite Christians typically celebrate Easter anywhere from a week to more than a month after Western rite Christians. In 2008 for example, churches of the Western rite will celebrate Easter on March 23, and Eastern Orthodox churches will celebrate it on April 27. It also sometimes happens that the two dates will coincide as they did in 2007 and 2004.

In 1997, a special conference of representatives from the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches urged that all traditions abandon previous methods of computing the date of Easter in favor of modern and scientifically precise calculations that use Jerusalem, the site of the Lord's death and resurrection, as the meridian from which astronomical measurements are based. While this proposal (commonly called the Aleppo Statement) would result in a unified date for Easter that is faithful to the Nicene formula, it is unclear what, if anything will ultimately come of it. What all Christians need to remember is that it is the reality of the Lord's resurrection that unites the Body of Christ, and not the date on which we choose to celebrate it.

WHAT ARE THE GREAT FIFTY (50) DAYS?

The joy Christians experience when contemplating Christ's resurrection is so profound and overpowering that it cannot be confined to just one festival day. This is why Easter is a season that begins on Easter Sunday proper and continues for seven full weeks. This cycle is known historically as the Great Fifty Days or the Week of Weeks. During this time, the church celebrates the Lord's resurrection, His appearances to the disciples after Easter, His post-resurrection teachings, His ascension into heaven, and the disciples' eager anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Ascension Day, which is celebrated mostly by Catholics and some other orthodox churches, is the 40th day of the Great Fifty Days and it is sometimes commemorated with a special evening service since it always falls on a Thursday.

WHAT IS WORSHIP LIKE DURING THE EASTER SEASON?

The Catholic Church and other orthodox Churches:

Early Christian church services included a vigil service before the Eucharist. The vigil service consisted of a series of psalms and readings, but it is no longer observed every Sunday, instead, Roman Catholics observe it only one day of the year, and that is on Easter. Aside from the psalms and readings, the service also included the lighting of a paschal candle and the blessing of the baptismal font in the church.

Easter, Judaism, and Passover:

Christian celebrations of Easter were originally tied to Jewish celebrations of Passover. For Jews, Passover is a celebration of deliverance from bondage in Egypt and for Christians; Easter is a celebration of deliverance from death and sin. Jesus is the Passover sacrifice, which in some narratives of the Passion, the Last Supper of Jesus and his disciples is a Passover meal. It is argued then that Easter is the Christian Passover celebration.

Easter Celebrations in Eastern Orthodox & Protestant Churches:

Easter retains great importance for Eastern Orthodox and Protestant churches as well. For Eastern Orthodox Christians, there is an important procession which symbolizes the failed search for the body of Jesus, followed by a return to the church where lit candles symbolize Jesus’ resurrection. Many Protestant churches hold interdenominational services in order to focus on the unity of all Christians and as part of a culmination of special church services throughout the Holy Week.

Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches:

In Ghana, these churches line up programs for the Easter which run for weeks before Easter (during the period of Lent). These programs are climaxed with church group meetings and celebrations called Conventions, (Convention of Believers) and they end on Easter Sunday. Most Easter Conventions are held for a period of four (4) days to one week. Most churches normally converge at a central venue to celebrate Easter.

WHAT IS A PASCHAL CANDLE?

The paschal candle is an ancient symbol of the risen Jesus and commonly used in liturgical parishes during the Great Fifty Days of Easter. It is a very large white candle, the largest and tallest of all sanctuary candles. Paschal candles are always inscribed with a cross, the current year, and the Greek letters alpha and omega (Revelation 1:8 and 22:13), signifying that the Lord is present in His church now in the present year and forever in eternity. Sometimes, five grains of incense, symbolizing the five wounds of Christ, are pressed into the arms and center of the cross with pins or small nails. The paschal candle is prominently featured in the service of the Great Vigil at which it is first lighted and brought into the sanctuary. According to ancient liturgical tradition, it is allowed to shine continuously throughout the Great Fifty Days until it is finally extinguished on Ascension Day. After that, it is removed from its place next to the altar and placed near the baptismal font. In the Catholic Church and most orthodox churches, it is lighted at baptisms to remind Christians that in baptism we are crucified and raised with Jesus (Romans 6:3-5). The paschal candle is also lighted at Christian funerals as a reminder that those who die in Christ are raised up with Him.

WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF EASTER EGGS AND THE EASTER RABBIT?

In many ancient cultures, eggs were a common symbol new life and immortality. In medieval times, Christians adapted the egg to their own religious devotions by giving up the eating of eggs during Lent and resuming it after Easter. Eggs came to represent the Lord's resurrection, just as Christ broke out of the tomb on Easter morning, the yolk of the egg breaks out of its shell when cracked. The decoration of eggs for Easter is part of the folk traditions of many cultures, although it has little or no religious significance any more.

The Easter rabbit is a popular secular symbol for Easter that has never taken on a Christian interpretation. It seems to have originated from the hare, a symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt and later on in parts of Europe. It is not altogether clear how the Easter rabbit became associated with the laying of eggs. Funny isn’t it?

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EASTER TO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH?

The foundation of the Christian faith is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus lived the righteous and perfect life that we, because of our fallen and corrupt nature, cannot. He suffered the penalty for our sins by taking our guilt upon Himself and dying horribly on the cross at Calvary. He rose bodily from the dead that first Easter morning ensuring that we who have been baptized into His death and resurrection will rise again in glorified bodies on the Last Day.

The apostle Paul joyfully declared: Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive ... "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:20-22 and 55-57).

Easter is not treated simply as a commemoration of events that occurred at one time in the past but instead, it should be regarded as a living symbol of the very nature of Christianity. During Easter, Christians believe that they symbolically pass through death and into a new life (spiritually) in Jesus Christ, just as Jesus passed through death and three days later rose from the dead.

Although Easter is just one day in the liturgical calendar, in reality preparations for Easter take place throughout the 40 days of Lent, and it plays a central role in the following 50 days of Pentecost (also known as the Easter season). Thus, Easter can rightly be regarded as the central day in the entire Christian calendar.

There is a deep connection between Easter and baptism because during the time of early Christianity, the season of Lent was used by catechumens (those who wanted to become Christians) to prepare for their baptisms on Easter day, which was the only day of the year when baptisms for new Christians were performed. This is why the blessing of the baptismal font on Easter night is so important today especially for the Catholics.

On Easter Sunday therefore, all Christians will celebrate God's great triumph over sin, death, and the devil himself with the ancient greeting:

Alleluia! Christ Is Risen!

He Is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Amen!

Staying Alive on the Road During Easter

STAYING ALIVE ON THE ROAD DURING EASTER.


Statistics in 2006 showed that about some 7,600 vehicles had been involved in road accidents between January and September of that year and that 2,000 more were expected to be involved in road accidents before the end of that same year. That meant that within three months of the last quarter of 2006 alone, 2,000 more vehicles would have been involved in accidents! These same statistics also pointed out that from those accidents, over 260 people had lost their lives and 200 more were expected to die before the end of that year. Folks, these are statistics for year 2006 alone, just three years ago and these occurred in no other country but in Ghana! I am not really interested in whether worse statistics could be gotten elsewhere, but I really got worried for Ghana’s road accident record for 2006.

I said to myself, “What a waste of life and property!” This involved lives which could have helped in the development of our dear nation Ghana and furthermore, it involved people whose sudden demise may have ultimately sent many children onto the streets because they could no longer afford to go to school and also fend for themselves.

Three years on, the statistics for accidents on our roads have increased to such an alarming proportion that even doctors at the Winneba government hospital who have been trained to handle such trauma situations, have become overwhelmed and they find it very difficult to handle these accident cases as they keep pouring into the hospital in droves on a weekly basis. Two weeks ago, a very horrendous accident occurred on the Winneba-Apam road and took the lives of more than 30. The incident involved an LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) truck which was said to have burst its tires and run into an on coming vehicle resulting in a head-on collision.

Onlookers as well as vehicles which had stopped to allow for the safe evacuation of the wounded got caught in a huge explosive fireball from the gas laden truck. 20 or so people perished on the spot and the rest died from severe burns at the Winneba government and Korle-bu teaching hospital respectively. As I write this article, there are still more patients on admission whom doctors have said only a miracle from God could save them. Was this an act of recklessness from the truck driver? We will never know because all the evidence has been engulfed by the flames.

In 2008, on the same stretch of road, a passenger bus traveling from neigbouring Ivory Coast to Nigeria collided with another vehicle killing almost half of all the passengers on board both vehicles. This accident occurred in the night and when day broke, on lookers as well as good Samaritans who had stopped to assist in the evacuation of the dead and wounded also got run down by an articulated truck killing and wounding several more. The driver of the articulated truck, driving at high speed was beckoned to stop several metres before the accident spot but he ignored calls to slow down. Was this also an act of recklessness from the truck driver? We will never know the full truth of the matter because most of the people who would have given evidence are dead and gone.


Last year, President Kufuor himself got run into by an alleged drunken driver who failed to stop at the Opeibea house traffic intersection when the President’s motorcade drove past. The president’s car somersaulted several times but fortunately there was no serious casualty. Incidentally that was President Kufuor’s last year in office. Was this also an act of recklessness from the alleged drunken driver? The case is still in court so we will never know until the final verdict is given.

In 2000, President Rawlings’ convoy was also involved in a multiple car accident on the motorway but the President escaped unhurt. Unfortunately two of his security personnel were killed. The accident was caused by a trotro driver who suddenly crossed into the motorway from an unauthorized side road. He absconded but the long arm of the law later caught up with him and he was arrested. Was this also an act of recklessness from the trotro driver? We will never know because the driver is dead and gone. They say it is a case of police brutality. Incidentally that was also President Rawlings’s last year in office.

Accidents have become so rampant in our country today that one wonders whether our drivers undergo any drivers test before a license is awarded. One also wonders whether commercial vehicles on our roads today undergo road worthiness tests before a sticker is awarded. A critical look at most of the commercial vehicles which ply our roads don’t look road worthy to me at all and if I had my own way, most of these vehicles would have been sold to scrap dealers long ago. In all honesty, I think most of these commercial and even some private vehicles do not deserve to “set foot” on our roads, but unfortunately they are on our roads, being driven by unqualified drivers and causing most of these horrendous accidents. A situation has suddenly arisen where accidents have become like monsters lurking in the dark, waiting to be unleashed on you, even if you were a very safe driver.

Take a trip from Accra to Kumasi and back, and take special note of accidents which you come across on the road. You will agree with me that on your return to Accra the tally would have increased by almost 50%. This is the situation which has now confronted us all today and there seems to be no remedy close at hand. It is like an albatross sitting on our backs and it can not be removed just yet.

This piece of bad news should now send the alarm bells ringing to warn us all about the looming dangers of careless and reckless driving on our roads today. This bad news should be enough to caution all motorists about these clear and present dangers lurking on our roads like highway robbers, waiting to pounce on us during the coming Easter period. I take this opportunity to sound this message very loud and clear so that we can all take a cue and help prevent these unnecessary accidents which will in turn save precious lives.

For most us, traveling out of town has become a routine in times of festivities and occasions such as to funerals, picnics and especially during the coming Easter holidays. Perhaps the excitement obscures the one question we all assume will be happily answered at end of the trip. And that question goes like this, “Is the vehicle road worthy”?

For far too many motorists, the answer will be a resounding “No.” For these occasional-time road travelers, what often begins as an exciting and well-deserved break from the normal routine becomes a very costly nightmare which spoils the best laid vacation plans, because we simply do not pay much attention to the proper maintenance of the vehicle.

A little planning and preparation can go a long way towards a safe and happy motoring vacation. A pre-Easter visit to a trusted mechanic can be most important for all drivers and vehicle owners. Even in an age where technology has enhanced automotive performance, the old road adage still implies: “Having faith is good, but checking is better.” So before your next trip, it will be most important to take the following safety tips seriously in order to prevent any traumatic road mishap.

(1) Inspect your vehicle's vital fluids, particularly the engine oil and coolant solution in the radiator. A trusted mechanic will give the recommended grade and service classification of oil that best suit your vehicle. Keep the oil level at the “full” mark for proper lubrication. A proper coolant solution is important for hot weather protection, which is more prevalent in our environment. Also check transmission, brake, clutch, and power steering fluids and be sure to stick to the right type recommended by the manufacturer, particularly with transmission fluid, because the wrong type can damage your vehicle’s transmission.

(2) Tune-up your engine only if you have an older vehicle, as most new models have electronic fuel injection and sealed carburetors that need little adjustment. Consult your auto-mechanic for schedules on recommended tune-ups. This could save you a lot, on precious fuel. Remember the price of petrol went up by 10% this morning.

(3) Check the tires carefully, including the spare one. Most people forget to check the spare tire only to find out that they now have to fix two tires in the event of a puncture in the middle of nowhere. Uneven wear could indicate alignment, suspension or wheel-balance problems. Consulting a good vulcanizer could guarantee a good solution to this problem. Under-inflation can dangerously increase the heat build-up in tires, so keep tires properly inflated. Worn tires need to be replaced before the trip. Always check the tire pressure when the tires are “cold”, before driving at high speed. Also carry the required weight recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and avoid exceeding the regularized speed limit even when driving on a good stretch of road in a new vehicle. A speed limit not exceeding 70mph (100km/h) is considered okay by international standards. Otherwise you will only help to make the following equation true. Overloading + Over-speeding = Accidents and Death.

(4) To ensure proper vision, especially when driving at night, always check the headlights and taillights for alignment and brightness. Replace any burnt-bulbs. Make sure the vehicles’ brakes, trafficator, and hazard lights are working properly. Check and replace worn windshield wipers, and make sure the vehicles wiper fluid system is full of clean water and in proper working order. Also check and clean the rear-view and side-view mirrors.

(5) Avoid the temptation to drink before or while driving as the saying goes: “If you drink don't drive, and if you drive don't drink”. It is a very serious traffic offence and furthermore, it could cause the loss of precious lives. Drivers should also avoid playing very loud music in their vehicles, because this loud music will muffle any unusual noises that may be coming from the engine or tires. Most accidents occur, as a result of this and so drivers should please stick to this rule. Don’t also drive tired. Stop and stretch your limbs a little from time to time when traveling long distances.

(6) Drivers should also make it a point to obey road and traffic signs to the letter. Furthermore, over speeding through towns and villages could cause serious accidents and injury to people who may be crossing the road as well as domestic animals. Drivers must slow down at such points. A speed limit of about 50km/h will be okay. Don’t answer your mobile phone while driving at high speed. Let the front passenger answer your calls for you and if it is an emergency, then stop the vehicle to answer or make that call.

(7) Always carry emergency tools and materials for unforeseen trouble on the road. These should include a flashlight with spare batteries, a jack, fire extinguisher, a knife, a set of spanners and screwdrivers, battery cables, a spare fan and timing belt, reflectors, a blanket, and a gallon of water. Also keep a spare set of keys on you to prevent getting locked out of your vehicle.

(8) Unless your battery is “Maintenance Free”, check the water level frequently, and always keep a spare bottle of distilled water. Checking the vehicles' alternator and fuses is advisable before traveling since most breakdowns are caused by electrical faults.

Finally, always keep enough cash on you for such eventualities. By following these tips before embarking on your Easter travel or any other related trip, you can be assured of a safe and hassle-free road travel. A well-rested driver and a properly maintained vehicle should make sweet music on the road, with or without your favorite cassette or CD.

HAPPY EASTER!