He is risen! We are in the midst of celebrating the 50 days of Easter. Whether all Catholics realize it or not, Easter is a season not just a day according to the USCCB. In chapter 5 of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Church beautifully states, “Holy Mother Church is conscious that she must celebrate the saving work of her divine Spouse by devoutly recalling it on certain days throughout the course of the year… together with His blessed passion, in the most solemn festival of Easter. Within the cycle of a year, moreover, she unfolds the whole mystery of Christ, from the incarnation and birth until the ascension, the day of Pentecost, and the expectation of blessed hope and of the coming of the Lord.”
Easter Controversy
As a Catholic, the most significant controversy regarding Easter I was aware of was the different dates for the East and West to celebrate Easter. Perhaps the commercialization of Easter is another significant controversy, but that’s for another discussion. Recent friendly discussions with protestants shed light on a surprising undercurrent of hostility toward celebrating Easter. These weren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses who don’t celebrate any Holidays or Seventh Day Adventists who insist on celebrating the Sabath. These were a mix of non-denominational and Baptist protestants who disagree with the idea of celebrating Easter and question why Christians no longer slaughter Lambs for Passover. These critics have two main criticisms. One, they believe Easter to be the celebration of a pagan holiday. Second, the failure to continue the Passover as Jesus commanded.
The idea that Easter is really a pagan holiday is mostly based on the etymology of the word Easter. The fringe protestant criticism of the etymology of the word “Easter” is borrowed from atheists who are always just trying to portray Christianity as just another made-up religion that stole from other made-up religions. They claim that Easter is the English derivation of the Greek Astarte or perhaps the Anglo-Saxon pagan goddess named Eostre and a celebration of the Spring Equinox. Much like similar criticism of Christmas being the Christianized version of the Winter Solstice, a fitting Christian response can be “so what.”
It is important to note that sanctifying something from the pagans and making it Holy is not necessarily a bad thing. Churches were sometimes built over pagan shrines to show Christ’s victory. And if Christians did choose a date for a holiday because the changing of the Seasons was a parallel symbolism, so be it. Dates and locations of Churches can be significant for many reasons, not just one. We saw this with the selection of a date for the feast day of Saint Valentine. Sanctifying a pagan day is like an exorcism in some ways. Even if the English word Easter was derived from a Pagan god, that root would have lost all meaning just as the English days of the week and Months of year are mostly derived from pagan gods. It’s the world we live in, and Christ has conquered it all. It is very clear that Christians are not worshipping pagan Gods on Easter.
There is no evidence that the origin of the word Easter has any pagan roots. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “The word “Easter” comes from Old English, meaning simply the “East.” The sun which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth, and hope, is a symbol for the Christian of the rising Christ, who is the true Light of the world. The Paschal Candle used during the Easter Vigil is a central symbol of this divine light, which is Christ.” Catholics officially call the Holy day commonly known as Easter “The Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord.”
The date of Easter moves with Passover and the Lunar calendar which is fitting alignment of the two Holy days after 2,000 years and very Jewish. We know that Christ died and rose right after the Last Supper Passover meal, so the timing of Easter with Passover is both logical and historical. In non-English speaking European countries, the name for Easter is derived from the Greek word Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew Pesach, the word Passover. The term paschal sacrifice refers to Christ’s sacrifice and is used throughout liturgy. There are also many more detailed linguistic arguments that the attack on the word Easter is not valid.
Passover and The Jewish Roots
There is also the claim that by celebrating Easter, Christians are abandoning Passover and the Jewish roots of Christianity. On the contrary, by celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord, Christians are celebrating the fulfillment of the Passover. There was no animal lamb mentioned in the accounts of the Last Supper Passover meal. Jesus was and is the Passover sacrifice. Jesus said to “do this in memory of me.” The Holy Mass combines the Passover Last Supper meal, the sacrifice on Good Friday, and the Resurrection all in one celebration and memorial.
Meeting together regularly to celebrate the Eucharist is biblical. In Hebrews 10:25 we are told we should not give up meeting together. In 1 Cor 10:16-17, we are told, “Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.”
Early Christian history shows this as well. There is clear evidence of early Christinas gathering weekly on Sunday, the day of the Lord, to celebrate the Eucharist. Justin Martyr wrote in 65-67 AD of the early Christians “we have been taught that the food over which thanks have been given by a word of prayer that is from Him, from which our blood and flesh are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of Jesus who became incarnate”.
Finally, he provides information on the weekly Sunday meetings of the congregation, consisting of readings from the Jewish prophets and “the memoirs of the apostles”, prayers, a collection for the poor, and a meal.” Just like Passover, participation in the Eucharist involves eating the sacrifice. Jesus is the new Passover sacrifice and ongoing sacrifice. The Jews offered sacrifice every day of the week in the Temple. Catholics and Orthodox celebrate the Eucharist on a daily basis. And once a year, it all comes together in the Tridium with each day celebrated on its own.
Some of the Protestant critics of Easter are doubling as Messianic Jews. They are hosting Ceder meals and reciting the Haggadah. These are noble gestures to remember the history and origin of Christianity, but their yearning for Jewish practice is misplaced. A true understanding of Catholic practice and the Liturgical Calendar would provide them a richer connection to the Passover and Jewish roots. The Catholic Liturgical Seasons of the Tridium and Easter are the fulfillment of the Passover and Jewish yearning.
If these Protestants find the Passover celebration and ritual spiritually satisfying; they should try an Easter Vigil Mass. Many Catholics have not experienced the Easter Vigil. This can be an over 2-hour Mass where salvation history is laid-out over the course of seven Old Testament readings, two New Testament readings, with a Psalm and prayer in-between each reading. It’s a beautiful experience with the Church going from dark to lighted as the prophesy is fulfilled and the word becomes flesh. The Easter Vigil even involves a fire-pit when possible as the USCCB explains, “In a suitable place outside the Church, a “blazing fire” (rogus ardens) is to be prepared so that the people may gather around it and experience the flames dispelling the darkness and lighting up the night.” Perhaps those with such an itch will find comfort when they finally come home to the Church. After all, a fifty-day feast of Easter ought to satisfy the desire for a lengthy Passover ritual.
