IAST.R -CHR\ S]IAN HOUDAY
AshJ[ednesdry is the first day of Lent.
ln Christian tradition, this was when
40 days of prayer
and fasting in the desert. When people
go to church, they have ashes put.on
their foreheads, as a sign of repentance
fortheir sins.
Jesus_Christ began
4.flslu fr/.dn.tdo1
Easter, like Christmas, is one of the
holidays which has two dgtil"tg!*
different meanings to many people'
Ep:*e{,hllqtjels,, Easter is by far the
most religj-ggs or s-eglgqig-li@ty-of the
year.-fne Easter season actually be-
gins approximatelY 40 daYs before
Easter Sunday. This period of time is
known as LnAl. lt is a Period oJ time,
similar to $!yggt, in which believers
pi"put" tSiEiiter. Many believers
use this time to remember thegg.
r,ifice3 mibe by Jesus Christ. They go
ffit something imPortant or signi- to
ficant in their lives. lt is common
hear someone ask another Person,
"So what did You give uP for Lent?"
Some examples of things.peopl:S'u? .
up are eating meat or chocolate' or
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T. Eqster flonalol
ffittng alcohol. TheY maY also fast,
which is to Eo without food for a cer-
tain amount of time. Lent begins on
AS-h---Wedlesqgf. ManY churches
h6A-;ffirttrEffrhich a bit o! ashes
are Put on the
Good Fridsys; This is the most sol-
nory vveeK. Mosr
ffi-EF
foreheads as a symbol of humility and on this day, the day before Jesus'.
crucifiction, to remember the Last
the inevitabilitY of ,deatha' Supper
worshiPPers'
the last meal of Jesus when
he washed his disciples' feet, a dis-
play of his humility. Also on this day,
all decorations a1e removed from the
alter in the church.
-
churches hold mournful servicesl0 to
the crucifiction of
commemorate
Jesus Christ
by the
leaders of
Jerusalem. The songs and mood of
the service reflect the sadness believ-
ers feel for the death of Jesus Christ.
Many Christians eat little or no food
on Good Friday.
Palm Sunday: This is the first daY of
Ti6if'ffifuany
church services
across the United States spend this
Sunday remembering and celebrat-
ing Jesus' triumPhal entry into
Jerusalem. He was greeted bY
crowds of people waving branches of
palrn trees and celebrating his arrival.
(ln less than one week these same
people condemned him to death6.).
Today many churches incorPorate
palm branches into, this service.
They may be carried by a procession
of
singing children entering the
church or used as decorations in the
church.
Easter SundaY: This cheerful Sun-
Fri-
faffifnileontrast to Good
joy-
a
is
morning
Sunday
Jav. easter
ous celebration of Jesus' resurrection
from death. Services are full of happy-
uplifting songs and churches are de-
cbrateJ with colorful banners .and
Easter lilies. ManY churches hold
sunrise services outdoors as theY
sinq hymns of celebration while
waicning the sun rise over the horizon
on a glorious daY'
ort&*ggg!ft&
an otd custom
cared egg-roiling still happens in some
places in Britain. Hard-boiled eggs are
rolled down a hill; The winnerdEgg
may be the one that rolls the farthest
or survives the most rolls.