Religious practices: Easter:

Origins:

  • Eostre - pagan festival (rebirth of nature)

  • Pascha - Echoed Jewish festival of Passover (release from slavery in Egypt)

The similarities between east and west:

  • Most important Christian festival.

  • Celebrates Jesus’ resurrection.

  • Foundation of Christian belief.

  • Jesus as fulfilment of prophecy.

  • Give thanks for the atonement for sin and reconciliation with God.

  • Hope for human resurrection and afterlife with God.

  • “And if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” - 1 Corinthians 15:14

  • Moveable feast

  • The first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox.

Differences between east and west:

1.) Different calendars.

2.) Definitions of ‘Vernal Equinox’ and ‘Full moon’

3.) Relation to Passover.

Differences between east and west:

Liturgical practices - west:

  • Lent

  • 40 days (excluding Sundays)

  • Reflects Jesus’ fast.

  • Begins on Ash Wednesday.

  • Includes fasting or ‘giving up’ luxuries/vices.

  • Laetare Sunday (rejoice)

  • Mothering Sunday

  • Fourth Sunday in Lent.

  • Relax their fast.

  • Rose coloured vestments.

  • Passion Sunday.

  • Fifth Sunday in lent

  • Beginning of Passiontide.

  • Lasts two weeks, ending on Holy Saturday.

  • Palm Sunday

  • Sixth Sunday in Lent.

  • Beginning of Holy week.

  • Commemorates the Triumphal Entry.

  • Maundy Thursday (Holy Week)

  • Remember the last supper

  • Includes foot washing.

  • Catholics renew baptismal vows at the Chrism mass.

  • Good Friday (Holy week)

  • Day of Atonement.

  • Commemorate Christ’s Crucifixion, death and burial.

  • Catholics treat this as a fast day.

  • No celebrations.

  • Observe ‘the stations of the cross’ (Catholic)

  • Observe ‘the adoration of the cross’ (Catholic)

  • Tenebrae service (Lutheran)

  • Easter Saturday.

  • Easter vigil.

  • Held after nightfall/before dawn in preparation for easter Sunday.

  • Easter Sunday.

  • Light a Pascal candle.

  • Celebrations of Eucharist.

  • Vestments are gold/white.

  • Church is decorated and pictures unveiled.

Liturgical practices - east:

  • Great Lent.

  • 40 day fast (including Sundays)

  • Different time frame from the west.

  • No celebration of Eucharist.

  • Week 1: Begins on clean Monday.

  • Week 2: Commemorates St Gregory Palamas - Archbishop Of Thessaloncia.

  • Asserted the primary knowledge of the apostles.

  • Week 5: Akathist Saturday

  • Dedicated to the Theotokos.

  • Hymn to Mary sung whilst standing during Matins.

  • Week 6: Lazarus Saturday.

  • Dedicated to the raising of Lazarus.

  • End of Great Lent.

  • Fasting continues for a few days.

  • Palm Sunday.

  • Holy Week.

  • Holy and great Monday.

  • Commemorating Joseph and Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree.

  • Holy Week.

  • Holy and Great Thursday.

  • Commemorating the parable of the ten bridesmaids.

  • Holy Week.

  • Holy and Great Wednesday.

  • Commemorating the anointing of Jesus at Bethlehem.

  • Holy Week.

  • Holy and great Thursday

  • Commemorating the mystical/last supper.

  • Permitted to consume wine and oil.

  • Washing feet ritual.

  • Change hangings to black/darker versions.

  • Holy Week.

  • Holy and great Friday.

  • Commemorating Jesus’ passion.

  • Strict day of fasting - no food / drink consumed all day.

  • Black vestments.

  • Lamentation at the tomb.

  • Holy Week.

  • Holy and great Sunday.

  • Commemorating Jesus’s burial and descent into hell.

  • Day of strict fasting.

  • Pascal vigil.

  • Midnight office.

  • Holy Week.

  • Easter Sunday

  • Commemorating Jesus’s resurrection

  • Lighting the pascal candle.

  • Blessing pascal eggs and goods.

  • Crack open hard boiled eggs, dyed red.

  • Leads into bright week.