1. Hanukkah (or Chanukah) is the eight-day Jewish celebration that commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. Easter, a Christian holiday, celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ which occurred on the third day after he was crucified on the cross. 40 days prior to Easter, Christians follow Lent, which is supposed to be 40 days of prayer, penance and fasting. One theory that has been put forward is that the Easter story of crucifixion and resurrection is symbolic of rebirth and renewal and retells the cycle of the seasons, the death and return of the sun. Lent is referred to as a time of fasting, but participants focus more on giving up one significant indulgence. Easter remains one of the most popular religious celebrations in the world. The feast day of Easter was originally a pagan celebration of renewal and rebirth. His body was taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave. Celebrated in the early spring, it … “The tradition of chocolate eggs began in 19th-century France and Germany and soon spread to the rest of Europe and eventually the United States,” says Katherine Tegen, the author of The Story of the Easter Bunny ($8, amazon.com). Roman beliefs state that all life comes from eggs. On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion. The last week of this 40 day period is called Holy Week. Reading these three chapters will take you from Jesus’ time in the garden of Gethsemane through the end of the Gospel story as written by the apostle, Matthew. During Holy Week, Holy Thursday commemorates when the Last Supper was held. Credit: James Steidl / Adobe Stock . Esther, a Jew, becomes Queen in Persia [Esther 2:1-17] 2. Today I wanted to share the passages of where to read the Easter story in the Bible. Easter is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year. Easter is the holiday that celebrates and commemorates the central event of the Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his death. Resurrection as a Symbol of Rebirth . But I understand the question the reader is asking. However, Easter did not always symbolize Christ's resurrection from the dead and the meaning of Easter was quite different than what Christians celebrate today. In a chronological or time-sequence order of events, here is how the story of Easter forever changed history.. Day One of the Last Week – Palm Sunday. Easter is a day of celebration because it represents the fulfillment of our faith as Christians. The Easter Bunny, or “Easter Hare”, is a symbol of fertility, as rabbits have often multiple births. The last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry began so drastically different than the way it ended. Christian’s today celebrate Easter Sunday as the resurrection of Jesus. Easter takes place on a Sunday, after the 40-day period called Lent. At risk to her own life, Esther intercedes for the Jews [Esther 5-8] 4. In Christian societies, eggs are considered to be a seed of life and are symbolic to Jesus Christ’s resurrection. recommended—Go) • Bible’s description of Christ’s last day, death and resurrection, as recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Fulfillment of Our Faith . Jews are threatened [Esther 3:8-4:4] 3. Matthew 26-28. The first story of a rabbit (later named the “Easter Bunny”) hiding eggs in a garden was published in 1680. The Easter story is at the heart of Christianity. All the Christian movable feasts and the entire liturgical year of worship are arranged around Easter. ILLUSTRATED ON-LINE SUMMARY of Jesus Christ’s story, beginning just before His birth.— Read it!… listen while you read and begin at THE VERY BEGINNING, in Genesis to truly understand the whole story of Christ, why he came, who he was, etc. H ere is an overview of the week when Jesus last walked the earth just prior to His resurrection.