Easter Facts

Here are some facts about Easter.

  • Easter is an important Christian holiday, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holiday can fall anywhere between the middle of March and the end of April, depending on the calendar. (The date of Easter is calculated using a lunar calendar).

  • Easter actually lasts for 40 days, the time representing the 40 days which Jesus spent wandering in the wilderness. The most important dates are Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
  • The celebration was originally called Pascha, from the Hebrew word Passover, and that name is still used in some countries. The name Easter probably comes from the name for an Anglo-Saxon goddess.
  • The tradition of the Easter Bunny bringing gifts was first mentioned in 17th century Germany. Over 90 million chocolate bunnies are manufactured every Easter.
  • The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all gave eggs as gifts. In many cultures, the egg has been seen a symbol of rebirth, and painting eggs is officially known as Pysanka.
  • The first Easter celebrations were in the 2nd century AD and were connected to the Jewish Passover celebration. The holiday has become commercialized, with non-Christian themes being added to it.
  • Chocolate eggs originated in Europe during the 19th century. In the United States alone, over 600 million eggs are sold during March and April, making Easter the second most popular holiday to eat chocolate.
  • Hot cross buns, made with raisins, are one of the most popular Easter treats. They were originally baked by monks and given to the poor people during Lent.
  • Easter eggs have been rolled on the White House lawn since 1878. In 1997, almost 10,000 children hunted for 500,000 hidden eggs in a huge egg hunt in Florida.
  • In Germany, people dance around Easter eggs and try to not break them, while in some European countries, people hit each other’s eggs with their own to try to smash them.

Christianity: What is the Trinity?

  • Christians believe that there is only one God. They are monotheists.
  • Christians believe that God has three different natures, personalities or persons.

  • The three persons of the Trinity are: God the Father (the creator of the universe), God the Son (Jesus – God in human form), and God the Holy Spirit (describes how God affects the lives of Christian believers).
  • Christians believe that the idea of the Trinity is found in the Bible, and it is a key concept of all of the Creeds of the Christian Church.

The Trinity is a tricky concept to understand. It is important to remember that Christians only believe in one God. The three persons of the Trinity are all God.

 

Diagrams of the Trinity

Trinity

Trinity Diagram

Hinduism Facts

Here are some facts about Hinduism, the main religion of the Indian sub-continent, and one of the most popular religions worldwide.

What is Hinduism?

  • It’s probably easier to define what Hinduism isn’t. Hinduism is not based on a strict set of rules, it is not based on a single holy book, and it wasn’t founded by one individual. This sets it apart from other religions and makes it really hard to set down exactly what Hinduism actually is.

  • Hinduism has close links with other religions, such as: Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism, and many individuals have contributed their ideas and teachings to Hinduism over thousands of years . In order to reflect this fact, people sometimes refer to Hinduism as a family or group of linked religions or a way of life, rather than one distinct faith.
  • Two people who both call themselves Hindus might have very different beliefs and live their lives in very different ways, however, it is possible to identify some things that most Hindus would consider to be important to their religion.
  • Many Hindus believe in the existence of a Supreme God – a creator and destroyer of universes – who is represented by a range of different deities.
  • Hindus believe in a cycle of reincarnation and believe that the life you lead can affect the form the soul will be housed in during the next life. This process is dictated by Karma – the concept that every action has an equal reaction.
  • The key Hindu religious texts are called the Vedas. These do not specifically mention the word Hindu, but they do make reference to dharma (a form of morality upon which workings of the world and society have been constructed).

How Old is Hinduism?

Hinduism, as discussed above, is made up of wide collection of teachings and philosophies. As a result, it is not possible to say with any certainty when Hinduism started or when the religion was founded. The roots of Hinduism can be traced back more than 2000 years before the birth of Christ. The first Veda (holy text), the Rigveda, was thought to have appeared between 1700 and 1100 BCE , and many refer to Hinduism as the oldest living religion.

Where did Hinduism Originate?

Hinduism originated in the Indus Valley region around the River Indus in the country known today as Pakistan. Today, Hinduism is a worldwide religion, although it is still most popular in India and Nepal. The map below shows the percentage of Hindus in different regions of the world.

Hindu Population