Where did the Easter holiday for children come from? What does Easter mean for a child?

Easter, or the Bright Resurrection of Christ, is the main holiday in the Christian calendar. Telling a child about it is not an easy task. We will help you deal with it. The topic of this article is the history of Easter for children.

Easter is called the Resurrection of Christ. Often children only know about Jesus Christ that he is the Son of God, who died to save the human race from sins. For your child to understand the meaning of Easter, tell him about the history of the holiday.

About Easter

Easter- an ancient holiday: it has been celebrated for more than 2000 years. We count the time “from the Nativity of Christ,” that is, when Jesus was born. Easter is associated with his miraculous rebirth after his execution - crucifixion.

Jesus preached love for people. Christ's sermons gave people hope and faith in a bright future. They found in them forgiveness and understanding that they could not find anywhere else.

Over time, the teachings of Jesus became so famous that the slave-owning Romans who ruled at that time were afraid for the safety of their power: ordinary people began to understand that they deserved a better life.

Jesus was arrested and unjustly convicted. As a result of the court's decision, Christ was executed by hanging on the cross.

The body was placed in a burial cave, and the entrance to it was closed with a heavy stone. On the third day after death, Jesus rose again. When several women faithful to the teachings of Jesus came to the cave, the stone at the entrance was moved away and the tomb was empty. Thus, without meaning to, the Romans strengthened faith and hope in human hearts.

To this day we remember that Jesus suffered for his love and kindness towards people. Easter is a tribute to the memory of Christ, a holiday of faith in a bright future.

What do they eat for Easter?

On Easter, it is customary to prepare special food, which is then blessed in church early in the morning. Here are some traditional Easter dishes.

• Kulich- the main Easter dish. Easter cake symbolizes the bread that Jesus shared with his disciples after his resurrection.

A real Russian Easter cake is tall and cylindrical in shape. Raisins or candied fruits are added to the Easter cake dough. The top of the Easter cake is poured with snow-white glaze and decorated with the letters ХВ - “Christ's Resurrection”.

• Easter- also prepared for the holidayEaster(pasku). This is a dish made from cottage cheese, cream and butter. Raisins, nuts and candied fruits are added inside Easter.

• Baba -often baked for Easterbaba— sweet pastries from yeast dough with the addition of raisins and vanilla. The top of the baba is sprinkled with powdered sugar or poured over chocolate.

Easter eggs

At Easter it is customary to boil eggs and paint them different colors. The traditional color for Easter eggs is red. Why do you think?

The Legend of the Red Egg

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, his disciples and followers began to visit different countries, proclaiming the good news that there is no longer any need to fear death. Christ has risen and will resurrect everyone who believes in him and loves people just as he loved.

The follower of Christ Mary Magdalene came to the Roman Emperor Tiberius with good news. According to the law, if a poor person came to a reception, he had to donate at least an egg. Maria brought regular egg, and, having told about Christ, handed it to the emperor. Tiberius laughed. He replied that just as an egg cannot turn red, so a dead person cannot be resurrected. Imagine his surprise when the egg turned red! Seeing the miracle, Tiberius believed Mary.

Since then, on the day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, we give each other eggs painted red, with the words: “Christ is Risen!” The recipient of the gift replies: “Truly He is Risen!”

There are three types of eggs for Easter -paints(colored eggs) Easter eggs(painted) and drapanki(coated with wax, the pattern is applied to them with a sharp needle).

According to tradition, it is customary to beat colored eggs against each other three times. Two people take an egg and hit one against the other three times. The cracked egg is eaten, but the strong one is kept. According to legend, an egg that remains intact will bring happiness to the house.

How Easter is celebrated abroad

Catholics consider Easter a family holiday and are sure to gather on this day for festive table. The main dish on this day is rabbit, chicken or turkey.

On Easter, the whole family goes to church, where the priest conducts a service (mass). Blessed water and fire are brought from the church, from which candles are lit at home.

Easter egg search

Catholics have a nice character - the Easter Bunny, who “hides” Easter eggs. On Easter morning, children look for them all over the house and in the garden. Often they meet real rabbits in the garden. The main “treasure” is several large eggs in a nest, which is hidden in a secluded place. Finding such a nest is considered great luck.

When is Easter celebrated in 2018?

Traditionally, Easter is celebrated on Sunday, the exact date is determined by the lunar and solar calendar. In 2018 Orthodox Easter falls on April 8, Catholic - on April 1.

Lesson summary. EASTER OF CHRIST (history of the holiday)
A story for children of senior preschool age.

Tasks: Introduce children to Orthodox holiday"Feast of Easter", with its history. Talk about the customs and rituals associated with the holiday. Arouse children's interest in folk culture. To cultivate patriotic feelings for the Orthodox traditions of the Russian people, for folk art
Progress of the lesson:
The history of Easter is a journey through millennia. Leafing through its pages, you can discover something new for yourself every time, because the history of the origin of Easter is an interweaving of traditions, beliefs and customs.
Let's go on such a journey! Do you agree?
Easter is the holiday of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. We joyfully celebrate Easter and sing: “Christ is risen!” We all unanimously answer: “He is truly risen!” Years pass in succession Under the azure skies. And the peoples everywhere sing: “He is truly risen!” There is joy and hugs everywhere: “Brother, sister, Christ is risen! Hell is destroyed, there is no damnation: He is truly risen! (V. Kuzmenkov)
Jesus Christ was sent by God to earth for our salvation from sins (bad deeds)
He was kind, fair, never condemned anyone and fought against evil.

The kings were afraid that Jesus Christ would himself become the ruler of the whole world. And they executed Him - crucified Him on the cross.

Since our own Soviet childhood, many of us remember Easter as a family holiday rather than a religious holiday. On Sunday morning, adults and children gathered around a table covered with an elegant tablecloth, and in the center stood an Easter cake, baked by the grandmother the day before.

But today, parents and children increasingly come to church to bless Easter eggs and eggs, and to see the solemn religious procession. And inquisitive little ones, watching what is happening, demand clear explanations from moms and dads.

We collected 10 main questions about what Easter is and addressed them to representatives of the Orthodox Church.

What event is at the heart of the holiday?

Easter in Christianity is associated with the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ, crucified on the cross according to the verdict of the Jewish court, approved by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.

According to the Gospel, the main book of Christians, Jesus Christ was reborn to life early on Sunday morning, on the third day after his death.

These events coincided with the days of an ancient Jewish holiday called Passover (Passover).

What does the holiday mean for believers?

Easter or the Resurrection of Christ is the basis Orthodox faith. This is the first and greatest truth that the apostles, disciples of Christ, began to preach.

The death of Jesus is the sacrifice of the Son of God, who atoned for the sins of the human race, delivered them from curses and death, and reconciled people with God. The resurrection of Christ strengthens the hope of believers for salvation and eternal life.

Why is Easter celebrated at different times?

Easter was celebrated already in the time of the apostles. Eastern Christians celebrated Easter on the 14th day of the spring month, Western Christians celebrated Easter on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. In 325

First Ecumenical Council decided to celebrate Easter after the spring equinox, on the Sunday following the first full moon. In the Orthodox Church, the calculation of Easter dates has not changed since then.

In the Catholic Church, clarifications were made to it, so the days when Easter occurs do not always coincide in the Orthodox and Catholic calendars. But this year, Christians around the world will celebrate it together on April 8th.

Child's behavior in the temple

If Easter is associated with worship for you and holidays you decide to take your child to a church service - divine liturgy or Vespers, then prepare in advance and tell your child what he will see there.

We need to talk about behavior in church at home, so that later we can only tell the children in a whisper what to do. While the child is just learning to listen to prayer and follow the same rules as adults: do not chat or run around in church, behave modestly.

It is not necessary to endure the entire service. Let this be the time during which the child can calmly and willingly be in church. If he is capricious or, on the contrary, is in an overly cheerful mood, leave the temple, stand at the entrance, talk to him, calm him down.

If you strive for going to church to imply a child’s communication with God, and for a prayer, even a simple one, said in your own words, to bring him joy, then for this you yourself must correctly understand the meaning of spiritual life.

How do you prepare for Easter?

Believers prepare for Easter in advance. They fast for 40 days (that’s how long Jesus Christ spent in the desert before his crucifixion). According to the teachings of the church, physical fasting (restrictions on food, rest, physical pleasures) should be combined with spiritual fasting: abstinence from shows, empty conversations, everything that awakens sensuality and dispels the mind.

Fasting is accompanied by solitude, silence, prayer, reflection on one’s misdeeds, reading spiritual literature, and helping those in need.

In Orthodox families, during this period, children consciously refuse what they want: sweets, fun games with friends, TV, cartoons, entertainment.

What is Holy Week?

This is the name of the last week before Easter. These days, all believers empathize with the Passion of the Lord and remember His last days on earth in human form.

Of particular importance is Holy Thursday, when Jesus and his disciples shared a festive meal at the Last Supper. This day is also called Maundy Thursday - Orthodox Christians try to confess and take communion, clean the apartment, and prepare it for the holiday. In the evening, the 12 Gospels are read in the church, which tells the whole story of the Passion of Christ.

On Good Friday, the shroud is taken out of the church - the fabric that was wrapped around the body of Christ. It depicts the Savior laid in the coffin. On the mournful day of remembrance of the death of Jesus, it is not customary to even eat food. In the evening, the rite of burial of Christ is performed. The shroud is carried around the church.

By Holy Saturday, Easter cakes have already been baked in the houses, eggs have been painted, Easter eggs are ready - they are usually blessed in churches. In this way, the church blesses believers, after a long fast and Easter service, to again eat fasting, that is, non-fasting food.

How are Easter celebrations going?

On the night of the Resurrection of Christ, when the miracle happened, the most solemn service of the year takes place: the Easter Midnight Office, a procession with lit candles around the church, symbolizing the meeting of the myrrh-bearing women with the risen God outside Jerusalem, joyful matins and the divine liturgy.

In the church during Bright Matins the choir does not fall silent. The priests' vestments are white. The Royal Doors, usually closed, are wide open throughout the service and throughout the next week - there are no more barriers between heaven and earth.

The temple is full of light and fragrance. The Gospel on Easter night is read on different languages: Slavic, Russian, Hebrew, Ancient Greek, Latin. This is a symbol of the fact that the sermon about the resurrected Savior of the world swept over the entire planet.

After the festive service, believers come home and break their fast with blessed foods. Rich Easter table- a symbol of heavenly joy.

What does being christened mean?

The rite of Christification consists of exchanging kisses after the Easter greeting “Christ is risen! “Truly risen!” It goes back to the days when the first Christians, having learned about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, joyfully conveyed this news and kissed each other brotherly. After the solemn service, the celebration of Christ begins, and then the exchange of colored eggs is an obligatory part of the Easter breaking of the fast.

Why do people give each other eggs at Easter?

When Saint Mary Magdalene, after the Ascension of the Lord, came to Rome to preach the Gospel, she appeared before the Emperor Tiberius and, presenting him with a red egg, said: “Christ is risen!” Following the example of Mary Magdalene, we now give each other colored eggs on Easter.

The Easter egg recalls one of the main tenets of faith and serves as a visible sign of the resurrection of the dead. Just as Jesus rose from the grave, so life is born every time from under a lifeless shell.

What should you not do for Easter?

Easter in many families is associated with a trip to the cemetery. This tradition has been preserved since Soviet times, when in our country they were closed or destroyed Orthodox churches. At the same time, there are no funeral prayers in the church until Tuesday of the second holiday week.

Indeed, is it possible to contain Easter joy while visiting the graves of relatives? Hardly. The heart will certainly tremble, we will indulge in sad memories. Therefore, the church established Radonitsa, the ninth day of Easter, to commemorate the dead.

On Easter Sunday, it is better to visit living relatives and friends - there are probably lonely and infirm among them.

What is Bright Week?

The next six days of Easter week are also considered holidays; they are called Bright Week, Holy Easter. In terms of their significance, they are equal to Sunday ones. Church service these days it takes place with the royal doors open as a sign that by the Resurrection of Christ the doors of heaven have been reopened for the human race.

History of Easter for children

Orthodox Christians call Easter “the feast of feasts and the triumph of solemnities.” On this day, the Orthodox Church celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This holiday symbolizes the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and preserves the historical memory of the redemptive voluntary sacrifice in the name of humanity of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection.

Christian Easter celebrated not according to the sun, but according to lunar calendar and therefore does not have a constant date.

How did the Resurrection of Christ from the dead happen? One of the testimonies of this greatest miracle belongs to the historian Hermidius, the official historiographer of Judea. On Sunday night, Hermidius personally went to the tomb to make sure that the deceased could not be resurrected. In the faint light of dawn he saw the guards at the door of the coffin. Suddenly it became very light and a man appeared above the ground, as if woven from light. There was a clap of thunder, not in the sky, but on the earth. The frightened guard jumped up and immediately fell to the ground. The stone that blocked the entrance to the cave rolled away. Soon the light above the coffin disappeared. But when Hermidius approached the coffin, the body of the Buried One was not there. The doctor did not believe that the dead could be resurrected, but Christ, according to his recollections, “really was resurrected, and we all saw it with our own eyes.”

Easter traditions

Easter is preceded by a strict seven-week Lent, when believers abstain from certain types of food. The week before Easter is called Holy Week. Each day of the week is associated with events last days from the earthly life of Christ.

On the day before Easter - Holy Saturday - old and young believers gather in churches for prayer. Special Easter food is brought to the temple to be blessed. On the day of the Resurrection of Christ, special dishes are placed on the table, which are prepared only once a year - Easter cake, Easter cottage cheese, Easter colored eggs. Midnight comes and the religious procession begins in the churches. Holy Saturday is replaced by Easter Sunday.

But the Easter holiday is not only about prayers. This holiday has always had another side - a worldly one. While the Easter service was going on, no one dared to indulge in festive entertainment. But when the “icons passed,” the Easter festivities began.

What kind of entertainment is accepted for Easter? Firstly, the feast. After a seven-week fast, one could again afford any food whatever one’s heart desired. In addition to Easter dishes, there are many traditional delicacies Russian cuisine. There were (and still are) all sorts of games with Easter eggs, round dances, and swing rides.

On Easter it was customary to celebrate Christ. Everyone exchanged colored eggs and kissed each other three times. Christening means congratulating each other on the holiday, and colored eggs are a symbol of life.

Long before the appearance of Christ, ancient peoples considered the egg to be the prototype of the Universe - from it the world surrounding man was born. Among the Slavic peoples who converted to Christianity, the egg was associated with the fertility of the earth, with the spring revival of nature. This is a symbol of the Sun and Life. And to show respect to him, our ancestors painted eggs.

Festive Easter omens

The Orthodox believed that miracles could be seen on Easter. At this time, you are allowed to ask God to fulfill your desires.

Since pagan times, the custom of dousing yourself with well or river water on Easter has remained.

At Easter, old people combed their hair with the wish that they would have as many grandchildren as there were hairs on their heads; old women washed themselves with gold, silver and red eggs in the hope of getting rich.

On Easter, young people climbed onto the roofs to meet the sun (there was a belief that on Easter “the sun is playing,” and many tried to watch for this moment).

EASTER TREATS

Boiled Easter

Ingredients

➢ 2 kg of cottage cheese,

➢ 1.5 kg sour cream,

➢ 1.5 kg butter,

➢ 12 eggs (yolks),

➢ 1.5 kg sugar, vanillin.

Preparation

Easter is prepared from Thursday (best) or Friday.

Rub the cottage cheese through a sieve. You should not pass the cottage cheese through a meat grinder, otherwise it will become denser, but it needs to be saturated with oxygen. Grind sour cream, butter, raw yolks with half a glass of sugar. Mix everything together in a saucepan, put on fire and stir.

When the mass has melted, add the rest of the sugar, stirring, heat, but do not bring to a boil.

Add vanillin at the tip of a knife, mix, cool. Place the mixture in a gauze bag and hang it to drain. Leave for 10-12 hours. After this, transfer the mass into a beaker and press down with a press.

Easter nut

Ingredients:

➢ 1.2 kg of cottage cheese,

➢ 1 glass of sugar,

➢ 200 g butter,

➢ 200 g pistachios or peanuts,

➢ 4 cups heavy cream, vanilla sugar.

Preparation

Rub the cottage cheese through a sieve, add sugar and vanillin, stir well. Add eggs, butter, chopped nuts. Mix everything thoroughly and pour the cream into the cottage cheese. Mix the mixture again, place it in a mold lined with damp gauze, and place a press on top.

Place in a cool place for a day.

It has become warmer, the polyphony of birds drowns out the city noise, and I want to bring fresh, fragrant branches with swollen buds into the house - spring has come. And the time has come to celebrate the main, great holiday - Easter, “the triumph of triumphs.” This holiday is incredibly beautiful and filled with deep symbolic meaning.

Easter story

Easter is set as a remembrance of two global events world history- about the burial of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. The one who was thought to be gone forever returns to remain among us. The one who brought goodness and faith, who helped in difficult times, will now always be with us. Isn't this a reason for joy? It is the moment of transformation of sorrow into happiness, death into immortality, earthly into heavenly that is the essence of Easter celebrations. It is no coincidence that the name of the holiday comes from the Hebrew word “passover” - “transition”, “deliverance”. Christ has risen, and, therefore, his prophecies have been fulfilled. He defeated death, opening the way to salvation, instilled in us hope for protection and strengthened faith in a better future. When Jesus Christ died and was taken down from the cross, he was placed in a tomb. But the Jewish rulers were afraid that the disciples would take his body, so they ordered the entrance to the tomb to be blocked with a large stone and a vigilant guard to be posted. On the third day, around midnight, Christ was resurrected: the earth shook, a shining angel appeared and rolled away the stone from the tomb, and the guards fled in horror. Early in the morning, the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb, wanting to anoint the body of the Lord with aromas. But they saw an angel there who announced: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He's not here. He has risen." The women happily told the students about this. In confirmation of their words, the resurrected one himself came to his disciples, who had gathered together in fear of the Jews, through closed doors and said to them twice: “Peace be with you!” This meant that after his resurrection he established peace not only between God and man, but also between people. The symbolism of the Resurrection narrative is rich: the cross is a symbol of death and redemption, the stone is a symbol of burial, the myrrh-bearing women are a symbol of a sudden change from sadness to joy.

The most grateful listeners of the Easter story are children. Many decades ago, adults did not forget about this and therefore made sure that even kids knew it by heart. Try to explain to your son or daughter the meaning of Easter, and you will see that the conversation will be interesting and useful for both of you. Children are attentive and inquisitive, they know how to listen and understand. Explain why Easter week is celebrated as one day: according to legend, the sun did not set on Easter for a whole week, and it was as bright as day. The sun “played” and “quivered” in the sky. Tell us that since ancient times Easter has been famous for its deeds of charity and mercy. People became more generous and tried to help those in need. They did this “for the sake of Christ,” because they believed that for forty days after Easter (before the Ascension), Christ and the apostles walk the earth, dressed as beggars, and watch how people remember God and help their neighbors.

Christ is risen

In Rus', from time immemorial to the present day, Easter is a period of general celebrations, home hospitality, and wide festivities. The date of Easter is calculated every year in accordance with the full moon and the spring equinox. The time of celebration is calculated for many years in advance and is recorded in special tables - Easter. Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25 according to the old style (which corresponds to April 4 - May 7 according to the new style). Many traditions of this holiday, known to our great-grandmothers, exist today in almost unchanged form. First of all, this applies to Easter church service and to folk rituals. The Easter service expresses worldwide joy in the glory of the risen Lord. On the night from Saturday to Sunday, churches are elegant and crowded, with parishioners expecting a procession of the cross. The Midnight Office is served, preceding Easter Matins, during which the Royal Doors are opened in the church as a sign of the opening of the gates of heaven by Christ. At midnight, “Thy Resurrection...” is heard, and with the continuous ringing of bells, the entire procession, led by the clergy, moves around the temple towards the western doors. The procession of the cross is usually likened to the myrrh-bearing women going to the Savior, so a lantern is carried at the front of the procession.

The closed western doors symbolize the sealed stone at the entrance to the cave of Christ. But the doors are open, and jubilant people enter the temple. During execution Easter Canon the priest repeatedly greets the parishioners with the words: “Christ is Risen!” - to which one is supposed to answer: “Truly he is risen!” - because this is how the disciples of Christ shared the good news. The same treatment should be used to greet acquaintances throughout Easter week and outside the church.

Home holiday

Originally Russian holiday signs are familiar to everyone since childhood - these are colored eggs, lush Easter cakes and cheese Easter. As for the house, it should not only be thoroughly cleaned, but also decorated. In advance, even during Holy Week, housewives sweep away rubbish from every corner, wash windows, wash curtains, and clean kitchen utensils. Craftswomen make intricate tabletop compositions, stands and decorations for eggs. The needlewoman will find a use for everything: a scrap of fabric, a handful of beads, a sheet of cardboard, a bright ribbon. And then a wonderful basket of flowers appears on the table, into which Easter eggs will soon be placed. After all, for hundreds of years they have been considered a sacred treat and the best gift for Easter. It is known that Mary Magdalene was the first to present an egg as a gift to Emperor Tiberius during the preaching of the Gospel in Rome. However, popular rumor tells many incredible legends about the origin of the “red” egg. Here is one of them: drops of the blood of the crucified Christ fell to the ground and took the form of chicken eggs, becoming hard as stone, and the hot tears of the Mother of God left traces on them in the form of patterns and colored specks.

The Easter egg is a symbol of hope and resurrection. Every home has its own traditions of decorating Easter eggs. Modest brown ones, painted with onion peels, are reminiscent of childhood and the deft hands of a grandmother, multi-colored, colorful - mother’s, motley, with colored stickers and painted with a felt-tip pen - you recognize the daughter’s “handwriting” in them. For coloring, it is better to choose white eggs, as brown ones can change the color of the dye. After coloring, wipe the eggs vegetable oil- they will become shiny. Signs and beliefs have preserved the idea of ​​the miraculous power of a blessed Easter egg received from the hands of a priest - it will never spoil and will protect against illness; girls, washing their faces with Easter eggs, become more beautiful. Painted eggs are given as gifts to family and friends. The exchange of gifts, as a rule, is accompanied by a ritual that came to us from Greece - the birth of Christ, or the kiss. The kiss in this case is a sign of reconciliation and love (children and parents kiss three times).

Don't forget about Easter cakes. Experienced housewives believe that a rosy and nice Easter cake is the key to family well-being, so they make it themselves. You can bake one large Easter cake for the family and several small ones for gifts. Cooked food on the eve of Easter is taken to church to be blessed. The sacrament takes place on the street, near the temple. People walk in a line: Easter cakes and plates with eggs, cheese Easter cakes and muffins are placed on long tables. They hurry, seeing the priest, and light the candles inserted into the Easter cakes. When the priest sprinkles what was brought, he is supposed to thank him by putting some money or an egg in a special basket.

Not only here

Traditions of Easter celebrations in European countries overlap with Russian ones. The main Easter gift, as in Russia, is an egg. Painted red or painted with patterns, it brings happiness and fills the home with joy. Eggs are exchanged, they decorate the Easter table, and sometimes they are even used in holiday baking: this is the Italian “dove” - a cupcake in the shape of a bird with a head made of an egg. These are the German “Easter men” with an egg baked inside. More recently, chocolate and sugar eggs have become an indispensable attribute of Easter. Parents buy them in large quantities and... hide them from their children. For what? It turns out that kids have been waiting all year for the “Easter Bunny hunt” to begin. After all, according to tradition, for several hundred years now, eggs have been brought to the little inhabitants of Europe... by a bunny. True, a long time ago a chicken played this role, but apparently the children liked the fluffy and defenseless animal so much that they entrusted him with the care of children's gifts. The hare hides its “nests” everywhere: in houses and gardens, in flower pots and baskets, and children diligently look for them.

Amazing celebration

Easter brings everyone together. In the Easter festivities of our days, primordial traditions and Christian covenants are intertwined. Russian customs, willy-nilly, coexist with European influences.

One thing remains unshakable: Easter is truly a family holiday, a time when it’s good to get everyone together, please children and loved ones and feel involved in the common thing - life, faith, bright celebration.