On April 5, 2026, many Christians around the world, especially in Western churches, will celebrate Easter Sunday, the most important feast in the Christian calendar. Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the event at the heart of Christian faith and a symbol of hope, redemption, and life over death. In 2026, many Eastern Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter a week later, on April 12.
The biblical account of Easter is found in the four Gospels of the New Testament. Jesus’ crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday, and Christians believe he rose from the dead on the third day, celebrated on Sunday as Easter. By the 2nd century, Christians were already observing the feast, though disagreements remained about when it should be kept. The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE is commonly associated with establishing the basic principle that Easter should be observed on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox, though the technical details of the calculation developed over time. Western and Eastern churches later followed different calendrical systems, which is why their Easter dates often diverge.
In many languages, Easter is known by names derived from Pascha, itself connected to the Hebrew Pesach, or Passover. This reflects the close relationship between the story of Jesus’ passion and the Passover season. English is unusual in using the word Easter, whose origin remains debated. The 8th century monk Bede linked it to Eostre, an Anglo Saxon figure associated with a spring month, but modern scholarship considers the word’s history uncertain and possibly rooted in later Christian linguistic development.
Some Easter customs may reflect older seasonal symbols of spring and new life, but their histories are often more complex than simple claims of pagan origin suggest. The egg became a powerful Easter symbol of new life and resurrection, and decorated eggs have long been part of Christian observance in both Eastern and Western traditions. The Easter hare or bunny appears in German and English folklore by the 17th century, and German immigrants helped bring that custom to North America in the 18th century.
In the early church, Easter was closely tied to baptism and spiritual renewal. The season of Lent developed as a 40 day period of preparation for Easter. The Easter Vigil, held after sundown on Holy Saturday, remains one of the oldest and most solemn Christian liturgies, marked by candlelight, scripture readings, and often baptism.
Over time, Easter also developed widely recognized cultural and family traditions. In the 19th and 20th centuries, commercial customs such as chocolate eggs, Easter baskets, and egg hunts became increasingly popular in many countries. In the United States, the White House Easter Egg Roll, first officially held in 1878, remains one of the country’s best known Easter traditions.
Today, Easter is observed in many ways. Christians attend church services, including sunrise services and Easter Vigil liturgies. Families gather for festive meals, and children often take part in egg hunts and receive baskets of candy and small gifts. In some places, parades, bonfires, and processions are also part of the celebration.
Easter’s enduring appeal lies in its message of hope and renewal. For Christians, it proclaims the resurrection of Jesus Christ. More broadly, it has also become a season associated with spring, rebirth, and communal celebration. In 2026, the holiday falls on April 5 for Western churches and April 12 for Orthodox churches.
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