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Lenten
Statement
The sinless Son of God
must die in sadness;
The sinful child of man
may live in gladness;
Man forfeited his life 
and is acquitted -- 
God is committed!

What is Easter?
Easter is the sacred celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead.  It is the oldest and holiest Christian festival, the climax and center of the liturgical year, and the holy day to which all other holy days point.  Even denominations that do not strictly follow a liturgical calendar commemorate Easter with tremendous joy and thanksgiving.  Click here to read an Easter sermon from the early fifth century.
Where does the name "Easter" come from?
According to the Venerable Bede, an Anglo-Saxon cleric and historian of late 7th-century/early 8th-century England, Easter gets its name from Eostre or Eastre, a Teutonic goddess of the dawn whose annual festival took place on the vernal equinox, the first day of spring (in the northern hemisphere).  While some scholars dispute this theory, it appears that the name "Easter" comes from the same root as the English word "east," the direction of the rising sun.  The ancient name for the festival of Christ's resurrection is Pascha, the Greek/Latin form of the Hebrew word Pesach (Passover).  This name survives in many languages today, such as the Spanish Pascua, French Pâques, and Dutch Paschen.
When is Easter?
The most commonly stated rule for determining the date of Easter is that it is the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the vernal equinox.  This means that in Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, and Protestant churches, Easter can fall as early as March 22nd and as late as April 25th.  In actuality, the rule given above is an over-simplification because the calculation of the date of Easter involves ecclesiastical definitions that do not exactly correspond to astronomical observations.  For a complete discussion of the definitions and algorithms used to calculate the date of Easter, refer to The Date of Easter from the web site of the Astronomical Applications Department of the U.S. Naval Observatory.

Why does the date of Easter move?
That's why Gospels tell us that Christ's death and resurrection took place during Passover, the commemoration of Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt (see Exodus 12:1-17).  Passover, also called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is an eight-day Jewish celebration that always begins on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month of Nisan.  The ancient Hebrew calendar is based on twelve lunar months, which is a total of approximately 354 days -- 11 days short of the full cycle of the seasons.  Passover must fall in the spring because that is the time of year that lambs are mature enough to slaughter for the feast (see Exodus 12:5).  To keep the month of Nisan in the spring, a 13th month is added to the Hebrew calendar every three years or so.  The result of all of this is that Passover always begins in the March/April timeframe but on a different day each year.  Since the date of Passover is moveable, the date of Easter, which was originally based on Passover, is also moveable.  

Churches of the West (Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, and Protestant) follow the Gregorian calendar, a revision of the Julian calendar that went into effect in Europe starting in 1582.  The result is that Eastern Christians typically celebrate Easter anywhere from a week to more than a month after Western Christians (although the two dates coincide occasionally, as they did most recently in 2001 and 2004).

What all Christians need to remember is that it is the reality of the Lord's resurrection that unites the Body of Christ, not the date on which we celebrate it.  In 1997, a special conference of representatives from the World Council of Churches  urged that all traditions abandon previous methods of computing the date of Easter in favor of modern and scientifically precise calculations that use Jerusalem, the site of the Lord's death and resurrection, as the meridian from which astronomical measurements are based.  While this proposal would result in a unified date for Easter that is faithful to the Nicene formula, it is unclear what, if anything, will ultimately come of it.  
What are the Great Fifty Days?
Joy Christians experience when contemplating Christ's resurrection is so profound and overpowering that it cannot be confined to just one festival day.  This is why Easter is a season that begins on Easter Sunday proper and continues for seven full weeks.  This cycle is known historically as the Great Fifty Days or the Week of Weeks.  During this time, the church celebrates the Lord's resurrection, His appearances to the disciples after Easter, His post-resurrection teachings, His ascension into heaven, and the disciples' eager anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.  Ascension Day -- the 40th of the Great Fifty Days -- is often commemorated with a special evening service since it always falls on a Thursday.  
What is worship like during the Easter season?
Easter season is the most advantageous and festive season of the Christian year.  Worship during the time features the prominent return of the Gloria in Excelsis ("Glory in the highest") and the Alleluia ("Praise the Lord"), expressions of joy and praise that were removed from the liturgy at the beginning of Lent.  Hymns and organ music are often reinforced with trumpets and trombones, adding to the celebratory nature of the season.  An old custom that is observed in some churches is that kneeling is done away with on Easter Sunday.  Standing -- a symbol of rising and resurrection -- is the posture for the confession of sins and the reception of Holy Communion.  Chancels and sanctuaries are usually decorated with banners and flowers, especially Easter lilies.  White, symbolic of gladness and holiness, is the liturgical color for all the Sundays of Easter.  Finally, the Paschal candle is allowed to shine continuously throughout the Great Fifty Days.
What is a paschal candle?
The paschal candle is an ancient symbol of the risen Jesus and commonly used in liturgical parishes during the Great Fifty Days of Easter.  It is a very large white candle, the largest and tallest of all sanctuary candles.  Paschal candles are always inscribed with a cross, the current year, and the Greek letters alpha and omega (see Revelation 1:8 and 22:13), signifying that the Lord is present in His church now in the present year and forever in eternity.  The paschal candle is prominently featured in the service of the Great Vigil at which it is first lighted and brought into the sanctuary.  According to ancient liturgical tradition, it is allowed to shine continuously throughout the Great Fifty Days until it is finally extinguished on Ascension Day.  After that, it is removed from its place next to the altar and placed near the baptismal font.  It is lighted at baptisms to remind Christians that in baptism we are crucified and raised with Jesus (see Romans 6:3-5).  The paschal candle is also lighted at Christian funerals as a reminder that those who die in Christ are raised up with Him.
What are the origins of Easter rabbit and eggs?
In many ancient cultures, eggs were a common symbol new life and immortality.  In medieval times, Christians adapted the egg to their own religious devotions by giving up the eating of eggs during Lent and resuming it after Easter.  Eggs came to represent the Lord's resurrection -- just as Christ broke out of the tomb on Easter morning, the yolk of the egg breaks out of its shell when cracked.  The decoration of eggs for Easter is part of the folk traditions of many cultures, although it has little or no religious significance any more.

The Easter rabbit is a popular secular symbol for Easter that has never taken on a Christian interpretation.  It seems to have originated from the hare, a symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt and later on in parts of Europe.  It is not altogether clear how the Easter rabbit became associated with the laying of eggs.
What is the significance of "Easter" has to the Church?
The foundation of the Christian faith is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Christ lived the righteous and perfect life that we, because of our fallen and corrupt nature, cannot.  He suffered the penalty for our sins by taking our guilt upon Himself and dying horribly on the cross.  He rose from the dead that first Easter morning, ensuring that we too will rise again in glory on the Last Day.  This is the great Paschal mystery that Christians have celebrated since the earliest days of the church.  As the apostle Paul joyfully declared:  ...Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive...  ""O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?"  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:20-22 and 55-57).  On Easter Sunday therefore, while secular society occupies itself with eggs and rabbits, the Christian church celebrates God's great triumph over sin, death, and the devil with the ancient greeting:  
                      "Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

What is Pentecost? 
Pentecost is the great festival that marks the birth of the Christian church by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Pentecost means "fiftieth day" and is celebrated fifty days after Easter.

What is Lent?
Lent is a forty-day liturgical season that initiates the most sacred part of the Christian year.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on the Great Vigil of Easter.  Sundays are not included in the forty-day count because every Sunday is a joyful celebration of our Lord's resurrection.  During Lent, Christians meditate with awe and thanksgiving on the great Paschal mystery -- the salvation God offers to us sinners through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.