Christian community living across the country celebrated Easter – the resurrection of Jesus Christ – on Sunday with special prayer ceremonies held in all churches across the country. They started their day with special religious rituals and prayers and exchanged greetings with messages of goodwill and prosperity, while the government made special security arrangements around churches as well as places of religious gathering of Christians.
Easter Sunday is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches as the Christian community holds prayers and special ceremonies to mark the Easter week. The Friday before Easter Sunday is observed as a mourning day because Christians believe that Jesus died on Good Friday while Easter Sunday is celebrated as the day when Jesus was resurrected. The Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline is the preparation for Easter.
It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Hence, Easter marks the end of Lent, and the last week of the Lent is called the Holy Week which includes Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Easter is followed by a 50-day period called Eastertide or the Easter Season, ending with Pentecost Sunday. Easter customs vary across the Christian world, but decorating Easter eggs is a common motif. In the Western world, customs such as egg hunting and Easter Bunny extend from the domain of church, and often have a secular character.
