A PERSPECTIVE OF THE EASTER CALENDAR
Apr 30 '06
The Bottom Line The Christian Calendar, also known as the Liturgical Calendar has been influenced by the Roman Church in its emergence of a series of liturgical seasons throughout the year.
Traditional civilized peoples have always associated the cycle of the times of the year with their religious practices. This has been true of the Jewish Calendar, the calendar of the Moslem; as well as the Chinese and Japanese calendar. These calendars began with the year 1 which corresponded to the year A.D.622.
The Jewish Calendar consisted of 12 lunar months or 354 days with periodically an extra month inserted to bring it line with the solar calendar. Similarly, the early christian (Judeo-christian) Calendar followed the time cycles of 12 lunar months, amounting to 364 days in the year. This was incorrect and unlike the Jewish Calendar, could not be brought in line with the Julian Calendar.
Therefore, the date of the new Christian festival, like that of the Jewish Passover, shifted from year to year in relation to the Julian Calendar. Inaccuracies in the Julian Calendar which was calculated according to the solar year, and used by the Romans, was corrected by the Gregorian Calendar under Pope Gregory the X111.
The accumulated error of 10 days was eliminated, and the slight astronomical differences were corrected by recognition of the leap-year. Even today this is not entirely correct, for according to the true astronomical year, the 12 month cycle is off by 26 seconds annually.
The first Nicene Council in A.D. 325 convened a meeting to settle the discrepancies between the Jews and christians on the dates of the old Passover festival, with the corresponding dates of the new Easter festival.
That Council was responsible for setting the method of dates for determining the Easter season, and Easter Sunday. Annual variations in the Easter Sunday date were smoothed out according to the astronomical equinox of spring which falls on March 21.
In other words, Easter Sunday fell on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. Members of the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrated it later.
Therefore, Easter has remained a moveable date, falling anywhere between March 22, and April 22, but not after April 25. All events falling within the Easter cycle have so been determined annually.
The Easter cycle maybe divided into 4 periods of Lent, Holy Week, the Octave, and Pentecost:
(I) Lenten Season
The preparatory fast of the 40 days of Lent, commencing from Ash Wednesday, marked the events that lead up to Christ's crucifixion. All carnivals, and masquerades were supposed to cease at least 3 days prior to Ash Wednesday.
It is interesting to note, that those carnival events which proceed during the time of Lent; much to the disgust, and ire of the Institution of the Church, were started by devout Roman Catholics.
Therefore, one may ask the question about the competitive marketing of these events which cannot supersede, the major carnivals of Brazil, Trinidad, Mardi Gras, and even Maastricht. Why do they not consider having these celebrations after Easter Sunday; and in preparation for another religious feast day like that of Pentecost?
(II) Holy Week
The 15 days beginning with the Sunday before, and ending with the Sunday after Easter, can be divided into Holy Week, and the octave of Easter. Holy Week was not only the last week of the Lenten season, but also honored the events of the last week of Christ's life on earth.
Beginning with Palm Sunday, so called because of the palms that people spread before Christ as He entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Eastern kings rode donkeys on missions of peace; as apposed to horses which were used as chargers during war times: leaders rode the white horses.
On Holy or Maudy Thursday, christians recall Christ's last supper, and the time He spent washing His disciples' feet. Good Friday, the last day of Christ's crucifixion was observed in a sombre manner by christians. Even the weather looked depressing, with periodic showers.
Note briefly, that Holy Week coincided with the Passover feasts of the Jews. His death on Good Friday fell upon the day of the feast of the Passover; the 14 or 15th day of Nissan (March -April).
Holy Saturday was spent in anticipation of Christ's resurrection, as was predicted by the Prophets or Messengers of God. On the Easter Day or Sunday , millions of Christians in all parts of the world unite in their feelings of joy of the Resurrection.
Therefore, the majority of christians in the various fragmented denominations of the Church worship on the Resurrection Sunday. For these reasons, there should be no controversy between Sunday worshippers, and Sabbath worshippers; for both days are of historical importance and significance.
In accordance with the Jewish Calendar, the Sabbath is from sun down on Friday to sun down on Saturday. Judeo-christians in the Seventh Day Adventist denomination of the Church, continue to worship on Saturday in observance of the Sabbath. The Moslems will have nothing to do with christians, and observe their Sabbath from Thursday to Friday in accordance with their calendar.
(III) The Octave of Easter
Traditionally, the eight days made up of the Jewish Passover feast which corresponded to Holy Week, was followed by the seven-day agricultural feast of Azyme. Therein was a celebration of the harvest and the ending of the Passover. That was called the octave of Easter in the Judeo-christian Calendar.
Simultaneously, the newly baptized in Christ wear their white garments as a symbol of purity. The various controversial doctrines of water baptism, from the christenings of babies to immersion in water were symbolic acts of burial with Christ.
That is, the old pagan life had died with Christ and heralded a new beginning, which followed Christ's teachings as way of life on earth. After death, and the grave, christians can look towards renewed Life because of Christ's Resurrection.
(IV) The Day Of Pentecost
WhitSunday or White Sunday is a christian festival celebrated on the seventh Sunday, or 50 days after Easter Sunday. It was probably so called because the newly baptized also wore white robes on that day.
It was in commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. On that day of Pentecost, the baptism with fire, or Holy Spirit, manifested itself when the apostles began speaking in tongues or other languages. The gift of tongues which sounds like a lot of jabbering, gibberish; or what I would term, the languages of the heavenly realm was also manifested on that awesome day.
The day of Pentecost marked the beginning of the apostolic work, and is hailed as the birthday of not just the Church, but the Protestant Church. Originally, this was the second feast in rank of the Jews. The celebration of thanksgiving for the harvest, and the ending of Passover time. Later it was a celebration of the giving of the law to Moses at Mount Sinai.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
self41
|
|
Member: Elaine Foster
Location: Kingston,Jamaica: W.I.
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
What's in a name? My christian name, Elaine, means light or bright
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.