Christian religious celebrations
There are several Christian festivals that provide time for Christians to reflect and celebrate their faith. The two most commonly celebrated festivals are Christmas and Easter.
Christmas
Christmas is a very important event in the Christian calendar. Most Christians celebrate Christmas on 25 December. However, Orthodox ChristiansGroups of Christians, especially found in eastern Europe, who rejected the idea of the Bishop of Rome being the sole leader of the Christian Church. Christians use a different calendar, meaning they celebrate Christmas on 7 January.
AdventThe four weeks leading up to Christmas; during this period, Christians anticipate the story of the Nativity. is the period leading up to Christmas. It begins four Sundays before Christmas. In church during this time, many Christians are reminded of Old Testament prophecyA prediction of what will happen in the future. about the coming of Jesus.
The 12 days of Christmas involve special church services, such as Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and a Christmas Day morning service.
Why do Christians celebrate Christmas?
- Christmas is a time to remember that when Jesus was born, God became human. This allowed God to save humanity from sin. Without the incarnationThe belief that God took human form in Jesus Christ. It is also the belief that God in Christ is active in the Church and in the world. of Jesus, Christianity could not exist.
- Christmas is a time for Christians to remember that they are part of a global community, despite differences within Christianity.
- Christmas is a time when families can bond and show love to one another. It reminds Christians that Jesus was born as a member of a human family who showed him love and loyalty.
Easter
Easter is an important festival that remembers and celebrates the last days of Jesus. The events of this week are known as Holy WeekFor Christians, the week before Easter Sunday that recalls the suffering and death of Jesus..
Holy Week
- Holy Week begins with Palm SundayFor Christians, the Sunday before Easter, the first day of Holy Week, when they recall the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem., which commemorates the welcome Jesus received when he entered Jerusalem. The crowd that welcomed him was later the crowd that condemned him to death.
- Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy ThursdayThe day before Good Friday, when Jesus had the Last Supper, suffered in Gethsemane and was arrested., remembers the Last Supper, at which Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples.
- Good FridayFor Christians, the day they remember when Jesus was crucified. remembers the crucifixionRoman method of execution by nailing someone to a cross, often until they die of asphyxiation; used on Jesus and many others. of Jesus. Some Christians take part in a walk, carrying a cross.
- Holy Saturday is a time for private prayer and there are no services.
- Easter Day falls on a Sunday and is a very significant day in Holy Week. This is a day of great celebration as Christians remember the resurrectionThe Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. The rising from the dead of believers on the Last Day in a new, or risen, life. of Jesus.
Why do Christians celebrate Holy Week?
- Holy Week shows Christians that Jesus was admired, persecuteTo oppress or harass with ill-treatment, especially because of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or beliefs., mocked and crucified all in one week. This reminds Christians of the range of experiences that people go through across the world.
- Christians are reminded of the suffering Jesus faced and the sacrifice he made for them.
- Easter is a time for Christians to remember that if they follow the teachings of Jesus, after death they will be united with God in Heaven.
- CorinthiansA book in the New Testament which is one of the two letters written by St Paul to the people of Corinth. emphasises the idea that having faith in the resurrection of Jesus is a central part of Christian belief.