Egg-cellent Questions We’re Hoppy to Answer—When Is Easter 2023 and What Is the True Meaning of Easter?
Answer the questions every bunny wants to know.
As spring rolls around each year, you know that Easter celebrations are just around the corner. It’s a time to (hopefully) forget about the winter woes, focus on new life, pastels, and getting together with family. And even though we’re all used to seeing the ubiquitous chocolates resting on store shelves for months ahead of time, and a lot of us have grown up seeing (or sitting on the lap of) the Easter Bunny at a local mall, it’s likely that many people might question exactly how this holiday came to be: What is the true meaning of Easter? And also, when is Easter 2023?
This traditionally religious holiday is part of a bigger Christian celebration involving Lent and “Holy Week,” and falls specifically on the beloved weekend that begins with “Good Friday.” The purpose of celebrating Easter in the church is to acknowledge Jesus’ death, as well as His resurrection and what that means for anyone who chooses to believe in Him.
However, for religious and non-religious people alike, Easter is also associated with Easter baskets, eggs, hot cross buns, bunnies and candy, candy, candy! Some children wake up on the morning of Easter and have to find their Easter baskets that have been hidden in the house. Many families decorate the shells of hard-boiled eggs with dye, and conduct Easter egg hunts outside. It’s common to break out a colorful Easter dress on this day as well!
But what is the true meaning behind Easter? And is there a real, legitimate meaning behind the Easter Bunny? We’re here to hoppily answer all of your Easter questions!
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When is Easter 2023?
Easter 2023 lands on Sunday, April 9, 2023.
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What is the true meaning of “Good Friday?”
“Good Friday” is the Friday before Easter (Friday, April 7, 2023), and it signifies the day that Jesus was crucified. That, in and of itself, does not sound very “good.” But as Pope Francis shared in his 2019 Lenten message, the period of time leading up to Easter is when Christians are “welcoming Christ’s victory over sin and death into our lives.”
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What is the true meaning of Easter?
Easter, also known as “Resurrection Sunday,” is a holiday that commemorates Jesus being raised from the dead after His crucifixion. For Christians, this event is of especially great significance because by acknowledging and believing in Jesus’ death and resurrection, they know that their faith (as opposed to works/actions) is what allows them to enter Heaven/spend eternity with Jesus when they die.
Related: 50 Easter Bible Verses
Where does the name “Easter” come from?
It is generally believed that the actual name of “Easter” comes from a pagan holiday celebrating the goddess “Eostre,” who represented spring and fertility.
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What is the meaning of the Easter Bunny?
While the exact meaning of the Easter Bunny is unclear, rabbits correspond with the theme of fertility (AKA new life). Additionally, some sources believe that the tradition of the Easter Bunny came to America from German immigrants in the 1700s. It is said that children would leave out carrots for the bunny and make nests for it to lay its colorful eggs.
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What is the meaning of the Easter egg?
An egg itself is also associated with new life and rebirth, and has been said to represent Jesus’ death and resurrection. During Easter celebrations, it is common to dye eggs and create beautiful displays!
Check out:
- Stores Open on Easter
- 51 uplifting Bible verses
- 101 Easter recipes
- 25 Bible verses about hope
