What Is The Importance Of Christmas And Easter In Christianity
He was born as a helpless baby to a poor woman and her husband in an insignificant part of the roman empire.
What is the importance of christmas and easter in christianity. It s a shortened form of christ s mass. As the most solemn and preeminent celebration of jesus christ s resurrection it s unfortunate that many of easter s customs are mixed with pagan associations and secular commercialization. It literally means christian mass. Christmas is a time of spiritual reflection on the important foundations of the christian faith.
Easter like christmas is a tradition that developed later in church history. Easter is the most important christian festival. The word christmas derives from the combination of christ and mass. Christians have been conditioned to accept that christmas and easter are essentially part of the christian tradition.
What s interesting is the etymology of the word christmas. It celebrates jesus christ s resurrection from the dead three days after he was executed by crucifixion. It is the feast of the nativity of our lord and savior jesus christ second in the liturgical calendar only to easter christmas is celebrated by many as if it were the most important of christian feasts. It s already on a weekend it s not a national holiday and no one is singing easter carols.
At christmas we celebrate the fact of christ s coming into the world. Both are equally important and equally necessary and the same is true of christmas and easter. But since we live in the world a corresponding commercialization of easter has led many christians including catholics to see easter as somewhat as a lesser holiday. Without the last of these we would still be distant from the lord.
Easter is the most important celebration for christians as it celebrates jesus victory over death. Easter begins with lent which is the name given to a period of 40 days leading up to the day. One of the most important holidays on the christian calendar christmas is also the most controversial. The christmas season especially in the west is a mix of pre christian christian and secular traditions.
So this begs the question. Christmas easter and pentecost are the three great feasts of the church. The so called christmas wars garner headlines every year for battles over manger scenes. Is easter actually more important than christmas.