Easter Cross

Easter Fun Facts

The Easter Cross

The cross, the all-pervading icon of Christianity, is an integral element of all Christian festivals including Easter. The crucifix is a cross with an image of Jesus' body hanging from it and symbolizes the sacrifice Jesus made for the humanity. An empty cross-one without the figure of Christ crucified--reminds Christians of Jesus' victory over death and the new life and hope this victory brings to believers.

Easter Cross

The Christian perception of the cross as a sign of redemption stems from the belief that Jesus' Crucifixion played a central role in redeeming humanity from its sins. When Jesus was crucified, the cross became a symbol of suffering. Then with the resurrection of Christ, the Christians saw it as a symbol of Jesus' victory over death.

During the first 300 years after Christ's death, Christians feared persecution by the hostile Roman government and rarely displayed the cross in public. In the 300's, the Romans began to tolerate Christianity, and crosses were widely displayed. In A.D. 325, Constantine at the Council of Nicaea issued a decree that the Cross is the official symbol of Christianity.

On Good Friday, the cross is covered with black, a color for mourning for the death of Jesus. Before the Easter Sunday, the draping in black is removed and the cross is rather decorated with flowers to honor the Jesus' return to life

Here are some other prominent Easter symbols ... Click to learn more:

Easter Bunny

Hot Cross Buns

Easter Candles

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Easter-Egg-Candles

Easter Eggs

Easter Lamb

Easter Lily

EGGS-IN-NEST

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  • The Easter Lilly symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus because the shell represents the tomb of Jesus and the flower that blooms represents life after death.

  • The first chocolate easter eggs recipes were made in Europe in the nineteenth century.
  • Vegreville, Canada is the home of the largest Easter egg in the world. The Easter egg or Ukrainian 'Pysanka,' was made in 1975 to commemorate early Ukrainian settlements in an area east of Edmonton. It weighed 5,000 pounds, and was 25.7 feet long.
  • Pysanka is a specific term used for the practice of Easter egg painting.
  • Most children (74%) eat the ears of their chocolate bunny first. 13% eat the feet first, and 10% eat the tails first.
  • In 1878 U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife Lucy officially opened the White House grounds to the children of the area for egg rolling on Easter Monday. The event has been held on the South Lawn ever since, except during World War I and World War II.
  • The initial baskets of Easter were given the appearance of bird's nests.

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Eggs, and bunnies, and jelly beans, oh my! Our selection of Easter crafts, recipes, and activities will have your whole family excited for Easter.