Easter, also known as Pascha in Aramaic, Greek, and Latin is a Christian festival and cultural holiday that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
According to the New Testament, this event occurred on the third day after Jesus’s crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary around 30 AD1.
Christians observe a 40-day fasting period leading up to Easter Sunday, coupled with prayer and penance. As Easter approaches, hymns are heard on local radio stations.
Easter is considered the holiest day in the Christian calendar marking the triumphant moment when Jesus conquered death and rose from the grave. It occurs on the third day after the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus.
Both Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays in Uganda, creating a four-day Easter weekend23.
Christians attend special church services to celebrate the resurrection. Families gather for joyful meals together and as a tradition, decorating eggs symbolizes new life.
In Western Christianity, Eastertide (or the Easter Season) begins on Easter Sunday and lasts for seven weeks, culminating with Pentecost Sunday.
In Eastern Christianity, the Paschal season also ends with Pentecost, but the leave-taking of the Great Feast of Pascha occurs on the 39th day, just before the Feast of the Ascension.
Easter does not fall on a fixed date each year. Its date is determined based on a lunisolar calendar, similar to the Hebrew calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (in 325 AD) established rules for calculating the date, emphasizing independence from the Hebrew calendar and worldwide uniformity.
In Uganda, Easter is a significant and widely observed Christian celebration. Easter is celebrated with reverence, joy, and a sense of community, emphasizing the central themes of redemption, resurrection, and faith.
