Easteronline puzzles

Easter, Easter Sunday, also: Holy Sunday, Resurrection of the Lord, in Orthodoxy: Pascha - the oldest and most important Christian holiday commemorating the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ: his passion, death and resurrection, celebrated by Christian churches keeping the Nicene Creed (325 AD). It is the culmination of Jesus' Passion, preceded by Lent, forty days of fasting, prayer and penance. The week preceding Easter, which is the period of remembering the most important events for the Christian faith, is called Holy Week. The last three days of this week: Holy Thursday (evening), Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday are known as the Paschal Triduum (Triduum Paschale). Easter Sunday begins on Saturday after dark. It begins with the Easter Vigil, during which the Paschal candle is lit - a large wax candle that symbolizes the risen Christ. It is also the last day of the Easter Triduum, calculated according to the Jewish calendar from Holy Thursday evening to Sunday evening vespers. The celebration of Easter extends over the next eight days - the Easter octave, and more broadly throughout the entire Easter period, which lasts 50 days, and which ends at Pentecost - Pentecost Sunday. On the 40th day (Thursday), the Ascension of Jesus is celebrated. During this period, the liturgical vestments are white in color. Easter customs vary throughout the Christian world and include sunrise services, Easter greetings, and church decorations. The symbols of Easter include colorful Easter eggs, Easter catkins, Easter chickens and rabbits. Additional customs that have been linked to Easter and are observed in both Christian and some non-Christian cultures include Easter egg hunt and Easter parades. There are also various traditional Easter dishes that vary regionally.