What exactly is the "Season of Easter"?
The dates for the season of Easter for 2023 are:
Easter Sunday Sunday, April 9
Second Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 16
Third Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 23
Fourth Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 30
Fifth Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 7
Sixth Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 14
Ascension of the Lord Thursday, May 18
Seventh Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 21 (Ascension Sunday)
Pentecost Sunday, May 28
In the Christian church year, the two major cycles of seasons, Christmas and Easter, are far more than a single day of observance. Like Christmas, Easter the celebration happens over a period of time rather than just a day. It is actually a seven-week season of the church year called Eastertide or The Great Fifty Days. The Season of Easter begins at sundown the evening before Easter Sunday (the Easter Vigil) and lasts for six more Sundays until Pentecost Sunday (although some religious denominations use the term Pentecost to include these Fifty Days between Easter and Pentecost Sunday). These seven Sundays are called the Sundays of Easter.
The Season of Easter ends on the seventh Sunday, the Sunday before Pentecost Sunday. This is often celebrated as Ascension Sunday (a celebration of the time Jesus ascended back to heaven). Ascension Day is the celebration of Christ ascending into heaven after His death, burial and resurrection. Ascension Day takes place on the Thursday 40 days after Easter. Ascension Day is also called the Feast of Ascension. Since Ascension Day falls on a Thursday, some churches remember the ascension of Jesus on the following Sunday, the seventh Sunday of Easter.
The story of Jesus’ Ascension is told in Luke 24:49, Mark 16:19 and Acts 1:3, 9. Putting these accounts together, we find that after His resurrection, Jesus appeared several times to His disciples and others. During this time, He spoke to them further about the kingdom of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit, for whom they were to wait (Acts 1:2-9). After 40 days of these appearances, He was taken up to heaven for the last time (Acts 1:9-11). As the disciples watched Him go, two angels appeared and declared to them that, just as He ascended, Jesus would return in glory.
Pentecost Sunday is a commemoration and celebration of the receiving of the Holy Spirit by the early church. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit, from whom they would receive power to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:3-8). After Jesus’ ascension to heaven, the men returned to Jerusalem and joined together in prayer in an upper room. On the Day of Pentecost, just as Jesus promised, the sound of a violent wind filled the house and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them and all were filled with the Holy Spirit. After the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were empowered to spread the gospel message throughout the world. This was the beginning of the church as we know it.
The celebration of Pentecost Sunday reminds us of the reality that we all have been given the same Holy Spirit that was poured out upon the first-century church in Acts 2:1-4.
These special days and seasons, like the Season of Easter and Pentecost, are a means to help us understand the important themes and doctrines of our Christian faith. Easter encompasses a time of preparation (Lent) as well as a following period of reflection on its significance for the life of God’s people (Pentecost). The Pentecost season following Easter focuses on the church as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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Easter Sunday Sunday, April 9
Second Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 16
Third Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 23
Fourth Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 30
Fifth Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 7
Sixth Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 14
Ascension of the Lord Thursday, May 18
Seventh Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 21 (Ascension Sunday)
Pentecost Sunday, May 28
In the Christian church year, the two major cycles of seasons, Christmas and Easter, are far more than a single day of observance. Like Christmas, Easter the celebration happens over a period of time rather than just a day. It is actually a seven-week season of the church year called Eastertide or The Great Fifty Days. The Season of Easter begins at sundown the evening before Easter Sunday (the Easter Vigil) and lasts for six more Sundays until Pentecost Sunday (although some religious denominations use the term Pentecost to include these Fifty Days between Easter and Pentecost Sunday). These seven Sundays are called the Sundays of Easter.
The Season of Easter ends on the seventh Sunday, the Sunday before Pentecost Sunday. This is often celebrated as Ascension Sunday (a celebration of the time Jesus ascended back to heaven). Ascension Day is the celebration of Christ ascending into heaven after His death, burial and resurrection. Ascension Day takes place on the Thursday 40 days after Easter. Ascension Day is also called the Feast of Ascension. Since Ascension Day falls on a Thursday, some churches remember the ascension of Jesus on the following Sunday, the seventh Sunday of Easter.
The story of Jesus’ Ascension is told in Luke 24:49, Mark 16:19 and Acts 1:3, 9. Putting these accounts together, we find that after His resurrection, Jesus appeared several times to His disciples and others. During this time, He spoke to them further about the kingdom of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit, for whom they were to wait (Acts 1:2-9). After 40 days of these appearances, He was taken up to heaven for the last time (Acts 1:9-11). As the disciples watched Him go, two angels appeared and declared to them that, just as He ascended, Jesus would return in glory.
Pentecost Sunday is a commemoration and celebration of the receiving of the Holy Spirit by the early church. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit, from whom they would receive power to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:3-8). After Jesus’ ascension to heaven, the men returned to Jerusalem and joined together in prayer in an upper room. On the Day of Pentecost, just as Jesus promised, the sound of a violent wind filled the house and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them and all were filled with the Holy Spirit. After the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were empowered to spread the gospel message throughout the world. This was the beginning of the church as we know it.
The celebration of Pentecost Sunday reminds us of the reality that we all have been given the same Holy Spirit that was poured out upon the first-century church in Acts 2:1-4.
These special days and seasons, like the Season of Easter and Pentecost, are a means to help us understand the important themes and doctrines of our Christian faith. Easter encompasses a time of preparation (Lent) as well as a following period of reflection on its significance for the life of God’s people (Pentecost). The Pentecost season following Easter focuses on the church as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Click here to return to Special Services and Events page.