|
Easter is the center of an entire season of
the Christian year. The season begins with Lent, a 40-day period
before Easter Sunday. During Lent, Christians prepare for Easter.
Lent is considered a time for penance, a time to show sorrow for sins and
to seek forgiveness. One way many Christians show their sorrow is by
fasting, which limits the kinds and amounts of food that are eaten.
While not all Christians fast during Lent, those that do pattern their
behavior after Jesus who prayed and fasted in the wilderness before his
death on the cross.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and most
churches hold specials services in the evening. At many of those
services ashes are placed on the foreheads of worshipers to remind them to
have a humble spirit. Lent continues until Holy Week, which is the
final week of Lent and recalls the events leading to Jesus' death and
resurrection. The Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, which
celebrates the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, where people spread
palm branches and clothing before him.
Good Friday is the day Jesus died on the
cross for the sins of the world. While Jesus died on the cross and was
buried, he rose from the dead, and that is what Easter is all about. |
|
