Easter is the most important Christian holiday. At Easter, Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His resurrection (return to life) three days later. Christians believe that Jesus Christ died so that the wrong things people think and do could be forgiven by God. They believe that those who accept God's forgiveness can stop doing wrong things and live pure, clean lives. They also believe that those who accept God's forgiveness will someday live forever with God.

The early Christian church celebrated Easter at different times.  Then, in 325 A.D. the Council of Nicaea fixed the holiday as the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21. This always places Easter sometime between March 22 and April 25. In 2008, Easter Sunday will be March 23.

Today some people use lillies to decorate their homes and churches at Easter time. The large white blossoms make them think of the clean new life they can have because of Jesus Christ's death and return to life.

Churches celebrate Easter with Saturday evening and Sunday morning services. In the United States,  many churches have outdoor Easter services at sunrise.  The light of the rising sun reminds them of the light that came back to the world with the newly risen Jesus.

Easter eggs are not a part of the Easter story.  These were first a part of non-Christian celebrations of spring. Spring is a time of new life. Trees put on their leaves in spring. Grass begins to grow, and flowers appear. Many baby animals are also born in spring.

Eggs made people think of new life because many animals hatch from eggs. People would celebrate spring by decorating eggs and giving them as gifts. Since Easter is celebrated soon after spring begins, the two celebrations began to mix. Today, Easter eggs, like lillies, remind Christians of the new life Jesus Christ offers them.

Vocabulary

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Do you know what these words mean? If not, look them up in an English dictionary, or click here to look them up online.

baby
celebrate
Christian
crucifixion
decorate
forgive
full moon
hatch
lily
life
pure
risen
spring
sunrise

Sentence Completion I

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Use the vocabulary words to complete the sentences below.

1. Jesus Christ died by ____________________.
2. Three days later he returned to _______________.
3. ________________ believe that Jesus Christ died so that the wrong things people think and do could be _________________.
4. Easter eggs were first a part of the non-Christian __________________ of spring, but today they remind people of the new life they can have because of Jesus Christ's death and return to life.
5. Some churches have Easter services at _______________.

Sentence Completion II

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Use the vocabulary words to complete the sentences below.

1. ________________ is a pretty season because flowers appear. 
2. Tomorrow we will ____________________ my baby brother's birthday.
3. I am going to ________________ my bedroom this weekend.
4. The _______________ cried for its mother.
5. Did you know that some snakes _______________ from eggs?

Reading Comprehension

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1. Who celebrates Easter?
2. What do Christians believe?
3. Is Easter the same date every year?
4. When will Easter be this year?
5. When do some churches have Easter services? Why?
6. What else is celebrated close to the time of Easter?
7. Are eggs a part of the Easter story?
8. How did eggs become part of the Easter celebration?