Easter marking culmination of the 40-day lent season, which is time of fasting, alm-giving, repentance and spiritual renewal, is being celebrated by the Christian community in Pakistan like other parts of the world on Sunday (today) with religious fervour and enthusiasm.
The Christians have decorated their houses and churches, which are presenting a festive look. Easter is the annual Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the death to absolve human being from the eternal sin.
Special midnight mass and candle light services were held on Saturday night at all the churches to mark the beginning of the Easter celebrations. Special prayers for the integrity, solidarity and progress of the country and peace all over the world were offered.
It is the most important feast of Christian calendar. Easter does not come on the same date every year but falls sometime between March 22 and April 25. It is the first Sunday after the first full moon following March 21.
It may be added that Easter is termed as a moveable feast because it is not fixed in relation to the Gregorian calendar. Easter falls at some point between late March and late April each year, following the cycle of the moon. The feast is linked to the Jewish Passover (commemorating the release of Israelis from bondage in Egypt) not only for much of its symbolism but also for its position in the Jewish calendar. The Last Supper, shared by Jesus and his disciples before his crucifixion, is described as a Passover meal in the Bible.