Religious Observances of Easter

In the Christian calendar, Easter is preceded by Lent, a 40-day period (excluding Sundays) traditionally observed through penance and fasting. Just before Easter comes Holy Week, which includes:

Maundy Thursday – commemorating Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples,

Good Friday – marking the crucifixion, and

Holy Saturday – the transition day between the crucifixion and resurrection.

Religiously, Easter is preceded by the Great Vigil, which was originally celebrated sometime between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday. Over time, in Western churches, this vigil shifted to Saturday evening, then to Saturday afternoon, and finally to Sunday morning. In 1955, the Roman Catholic Church fixed the vigil at 10 p.m., making it possible to hold Easter Mass after midnight.

In Orthodox tradition, the Vigil remains a deeply significant religious ceremony, though it is less common in Protestant churches.

By the fourth century, the Easter Vigil became well-established with various liturgical expressions. It was marked by a spirit of joyful anticipation of the resurrection and was sometimes linked to the belief that Jesus would return on Easter — the Second Coming.

In Roman Catholic tradition, the Vigil consists of four parts:

The Service of Light, centered around the Paschal Candle, symbolizing Jesus as the light,

The Liturgy of the Word, also called the Service of Readings or Prophecies,

The Sacraments, including baptism and confirmation of adult converts, and

The Easter Mass.

The Paschal Candle, representing the emergence of light from darkness through the resurrection, was first recorded in use in 384 AD, and became common by the 10th century.

In the early church, especially by the fourth century, baptism on Easter was of great significance, as it was only performed once a year, on Easter. During Easter services, priests bless the water to be used for baptisms throughout the year, and believers may take some of that water home for protection and renewal.

Lutheran and Anglican churches also have their own versions of the Easter Vigil.

All Christian traditions emphasize unique forms of worship for Easter. For instance, the Easter Sunrise Service is a distinctive Protestant tradition in North America. It likely originates from the Gospel accounts of Mary Magdalene visiting Jesus’ tomb "while it was still dark" (John 20:1) or "at dawn" (Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1). The service symbolizes the joy of resurrection and the triumph of light over darkness at sunrise.