Grace Thompson
Easter is a significant liturgical season for Catholics, celebrating Jesus's resurrection from the dead and his ascension to heaven. The Easter season lasts 50 days, from Easter Sunday to Pentecost, and is characterised by the joy of new life and victory over death. This year, in 2025, Easter will be celebrated from April 20 to June 8.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Length of Easter Season | 50 days |
| Date of Easter Sunday | 20th April 2025 |
| Date Range of Easter Season | 20th April 2025 – 8th June 2025 |
| First Eight Days of Easter Season | Octave of Easter |
| Symbol of Christ's Presence | Paschal Candle |
| Liturgical Colour | White |
| Date of Easter in 2024 | 21st April 2024 |
| Date of Easter in 2023 | 9th April 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
The Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Mass
The Easter Vigil is the "Mother of All Vigils", and is perhaps the most important Mass of the entire liturgical year. It is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities, and there is to be only one celebration in each church. The Vigil takes place at night, beginning after dusk or nightfall and ending before daybreak on Easter Sunday. It is filled with powerful symbolism, including darkness, fire, water, and oil. The Service of Light, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of Baptism, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are all part of the Easter Vigil.
The Easter Vigil proceeds similarly to a typical Sunday liturgy, but with some notable differences. For instance, newly baptised adults may carry the gifts forward during the offertory, and the priest may offer a special message to them and their sponsors as they prepare to receive Holy Communion for the first time. After Communion, the priest offers a final blessing and dismissal, including a final "Alleluia", before the Mass concludes with a celebratory hymn.
The Vigil includes the Lucernarium and Easter Proclamation, which constitute the first part of the Vigil. The second part is the Liturgy of the Word, in which the Church meditates on the wonders the Lord God has done for his people from the beginning, trusting in his word and promise. The third part is the Liturgy of Baptism, and the fourth is the Liturgy of the Eucharist, in which the Church is called to the table the Lord has prepared, memorialising his Death and Resurrection until he comes again.
The Easter Vigil is a time when the Church keeps watch, celebrating the resurrection of Christ in the sacraments and awaiting his return in glory. It is a turning point, marking Christ's passage from death to life. The Vigil is also an opportunity for the recounting of the outstanding deeds of the history of salvation.
Easter Sunday Mass is a celebration of Christ's Resurrection from the dead, culminating in his Ascension to the Father and the sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. It is celebrated on Sunday and is the beginning of the Easter Season of the liturgical year. The liturgy on Easter Sunday is not too different from a normal Mass, but it may run 10-15 minutes longer due to the sprinkling rite and a typically packed congregation.
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The date of Easter Sunday
The date is calculated based on a combination of lunar cycles and ancient church traditions. Specifically, it is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon—the first Full Moon on or after March 21, according to the Church's ecclesiastical calendar. This method was established by Christian Bishops at the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE to unify the celebration across the Christian world.
The precise date of Easter has been a matter of contention, with the Quartodeciman controversy being the first of several Easter controversies. The term "Quartodeciman" refers to the practice of ending the Lenten fast on Nisan 14 of the Hebrew calendar, "the LORD's Passover". By the later 3rd century, some Christians began to express dissatisfaction with relying on the Jewish calendar to determine the date of Easter. As a result, some Christians began to experiment with independent computations, such as the 19-year lunar cycle (Metonic cycle) to determine the date.
In the Orthodox (Julian) calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, the Spring Equinox falls on March 21, while in the Gregorian calendar, it falls on April 3. This difference in calendars results in a later Easter date for Orthodox Christians, sometimes up to five weeks after Western Easter.
In 2025, Easter Sunday will be celebrated on April 20 by both Catholic and Western Christian churches, coinciding with the Orthodox Church's Easter date.
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The length of the Easter season
The Easter season, also known as "Eastertide", is the second-longest liturgical season in the Catholic Church. It is a time of celebration and joy, commemorating the Lord's resurrection from the dead and his ascension to heaven, and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.
The Easter season lasts for 50 days, starting from Easter Sunday, which celebrates Christ's resurrection, and ending with the feast of Pentecost, which marks the descent of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is also known as the "birthday of the Church". The 50 days of Easter are celebrated as one continuous feast day, known as "great Sunday", and are filled with joy and exultation.
The octave of Easter, also known as the "Mother of All Vigils", comprises the first eight days of the season, from the first to the second Sunday. It is a period of great celebration, extending the joy of the resurrection. The Paschal Candle, a symbol of the presence of the Risen Christ, remains in the sanctuary near the altar during this time.
The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter. The weekdays from the Ascension up to Pentecost are a time of preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The liturgical colour for Easter is white, symbolizing light, joy, purity, and innocence.
The Easter season is filled with various devotions and traditions, such as the "Via Lucis" or "Way of Light", which is a meditation on 14 stations that begin with Jesus' resurrection and conclude with Pentecost. The season is also marked by the blessing of Easter baskets and lilies, which symbolize purity and new life.
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The liturgical colour for Easter
The liturgical colour most associated with Easter is white, which is also the liturgical colour for Christmas. White symbolises light, joy, purity, and innocence. It is often replaced by gold, and white or gold is also the colour used in Anglican, Lutheran, and Methodist churches.
In the liturgical calendar, the colour for each day corresponds to that day's main liturgical celebration. For example, red is used for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Pentecost Sunday, as well as the celebrations of the Lord's Passion, of Apostles, and of Evangelists, and celebrations of Martyrs. Black is used for Good Friday and the Crucifixion.
The Easter season is the second-longest liturgical season, lasting 50 days from the Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to Pentecost Sunday. The first eight days of the Easter season make up the Octave of Easter and are celebrated as solemnities of the Lord.
During the Easter season, the Paschal Candle, a symbol of the presence of the Risen Christ, remains in the sanctuary near the Altar or Ambo until Pentecost Sunday. The tradition of decorating with white lilies, symbols of purity and new life, began in the 1800s.
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The symbols of Easter
The Catholic Church celebrates Easter for 50 days, from the Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to Pentecost Sunday. This period is known as Eastertide.
The Lamb
The lamb is the most significant symbol of Easter, representing Christ with the flag of victory. In the past, it was considered lucky to meet a lamb, especially during Easter. The Easter lamb may be seen in pictures and images in the homes of many Central and Eastern European families. The ancient tradition of the Pasch lamb inspired Christians to eat lamb meat during Easter.
The Egg
Eggs are a symbol of creation, fertility, and new life. For Christians, the egg represents a new beginning, with the shell seen as a nurturing, life-giving tomb. The egg became a symbol of spring for Indo-European peoples, and in Christian times, it became a symbol of the rock tomb from which Christ emerged to new life.
The Lily
The white lily is a symbol of purity and new life that heralds the resurrection of Jesus. Lilies are mentioned in the Bible and are said to be shaped like trumpets, which in Jesus' time were used to announce important news.
The Butterfly
Butterflies are a symbol of resurrection and new life. The caterpillar spins a cocoon, which is reminiscent of a tomb, and then emerges as a beautiful butterfly, just as Jesus emerged from the tomb.
The Donkey
The donkey is symbolic during Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday. Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, fulfilling Zechariah's promise of a peacemaking king for Israel.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church celebrates Easter for 50 days, from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday.
The Easter season starts on Easter Sunday, which is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon occurring on or after the spring equinox (March 21).
The Easter season ends on Pentecost Sunday, 50 days after Easter Sunday.
The Easter season is a time of joy and celebration, marking the Lord's resurrection from the dead and his ascension to the Father. It is considered the most important liturgical time for Catholics.
Some traditions associated with the Catholic Easter season include the blessing of Easter baskets and lilies, the lighting of the Paschal Candle, and the wearing of new clothes to symbolise new life and the victory over death.
