“Christ is risen from the dead,
in dying he has conquered death
and has given new life to those in the grave!”
Easter celebrates Christ's resurrection. The Easter liturgies also place much emphasis on Baptism: God has raised Christ from the dead and broken through the gate of death; in Baptism, every Christian is buried with Christ and raised with him. On Easter, the liturgical colour changes from black to white, the colour of joy and purity, and praise rings out again after Lent's solemn stillness.
At the Easter Eve Eucharist, a large Easter candle is brought into the church and we sing “Jesus Christ is the light of the world” when it is lit. On Easter Day, the altar is bedecked with white flowers, a metaphor of purity and innocence reminding us that Christ, who was sinless, yet suffered for those in need of forgiveness.
On Easter Monday, we remember the appearance of the risen Christ to the women at the tomb and to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, which assured them of his continuing presence in the life of this world.
Easter Week, whose celebration is an ancient Christian tradition, continues until Saturday. Eastertide thus lasts a total of fifty days and ends with Pentecost.