Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Origins of Easter in Early Christianity
Origins of Easter in Early Christianity
Knowledge check
Q1. Which event does Easter primarily commemorate in Christian belief?
- A. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem
- B. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead ✓
- C. The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River
- D. The Ascension of Jesus into heaven
Why: Easter centers on the belief that Jesus rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion, which is the foundation of Christian faith in the resurrection.
Q2. What is the name of the Jewish festival that took place around the same time as the events of Holy Week and strongly influenced the timing of early Easter?
- A. Hanukkah
- B. Sukkot
- C. Passover ✓
- D. Shavuot
Why: Passover (Pesach) commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and coincided with the Last Supper and crucifixion, so early Christians linked the timing of Easter to it.
Q3. Which early Christian council, held in 325 CE, established that Easter should be celebrated on a Sunday?
- A. The Council of Trent
- B. The Council of Nicaea ✓
- C. The Council of Ephesus
- D. The Council of Chalcedon
Why: The First Council of Nicaea in 325 CE addressed the date of Easter and decided it should fall on a Sunday, separate from the Jewish Passover date.
Q4. What was the name of the controversy in the early church over the date of Easter, where some Christians celebrated it on the 14th day of Nisan regardless of the day of the week?
- A. The Arian controversy
- B. The Quartodeciman controversy ✓
- C. The Donatist controversy
- D. The Pelagian controversy
Why: The Quartodeciman controversy involved Christians in Asia Minor who kept Easter on the 14th of Nisan, the Jewish date, rather than on a Sunday as most of the church had adopted.
Q5. The word 'Easter' is thought by many scholars to derive from the name of which pre-Christian figure or season?
- A. A Roman goddess of spring ✓
- B. A Norse god of thunder
- C. A Greek goddess of the harvest
- D. An Egyptian god of the sun
Why: The Venerable Bede suggested the name comes from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, though the connection is debated by historians and the name may have a different origin.
Module 2
Module 2: The Date Controversy and Calculating Easter
The Date Controversy and Calculating Easter
Knowledge check
Q1. Which principle primarily determines the date of Easter in the Western Christian calendar?
- A. The fixed date of March 25th each year
- B. The first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox
- C. The first Sunday in April regardless of the moon
- D. The day after the Jewish Passover ends each year
Q2. What was the main reason the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE addressed the date of Easter?
- A. To abolish the celebration of Easter entirely
- B. To unify the practice of celebrating Easter on a single common date across the church
- C. To move Easter to the winter solstice
- D. To establish Easter as a movable feast tied to the Roman calendar's first day of spring
Q3. Why did the Eastern Orthodox churches and many Western churches often celebrate Easter on different dates?
- A. They used different lunar tables and calendars, with the Orthodox using the Julian calendar for calculations
- B. The Western churches rejected the lunar cycle entirely
- C. The Eastern churches celebrated Easter on the summer solstice
- D. Orthodox churches observed Easter only once every four years
Q4. What was the primary purpose of the Gregorian calendar reform introduced in 1582?
- A. To correct the drift between the calendar year and the solar year caused by the Julian calendar's leap year rule
- B. To make Easter a fixed date permanently
- C. To replace the Christian calendar with a secular one
- D. To move the start of the year from January to March
Q5. Which astronomical event is the reference point used to begin calculating the date of Easter?
- A. The summer solstice
- B. The autumn equinox
- C. The spring (vernal) equinox
- D. The winter solstice
Module 3
Module 3: Pagan Roots and Spring Festivals
Pagan Roots and Spring Festivals
Knowledge check
Q1. Which ancient goddess is often proposed by scholars as the possible namesake of the English word 'Easter'?
- A. Freyja
- B. Eostre ✓
- C. Demeter
- D. Ostara
Why: The Anglo-Saxon monk Bede (8th century) recorded a spring goddess called Eostre (Eostrae), and many scholars believe the name of the festival derives from her. The evidence rests almost entirely on Bede, so the link is debated, but it is the most cited explanation for the word.
Q2. Which spring festival, held in mid-April in ancient Rome, honored the goddess Cybele and her consort Attis?
- A. Floralia
- B. Lupercalia
- C. Hilaria ✓
- D. Saturnalia
Why: The Hilaria was a joyful Roman festival associated with the cult of Cybele and Attis, held around the spring equinox. It celebrated the god's resurrection and was marked by festivity and relaxed rules. Floralia honored Flora and Lupercalia took place in February, while Saturnalia was a winter festival in December.
Q3. What is the 'Ishtar' link often drawn in discussions of Easter's origins?
- A. Ishtar was a Mesopotamian goddess of love, fertility, and war whose myths include a descent to the underworld and return, sometimes compared to spring renewal ✓
- B. Ishtar was a Greek goddess of the harvest who was worshipped with bread offerings
- C. Ishtar was a Norse goddess of spring whose name means 'dawn'
- D. Ishtar was an Egyptian sun goddess honored with a spring procession
Why: Ishtar was a major Mesopotamian goddess linked to love, fertility, and war. Her descent into the underworld and return is sometimes compared to the death and resurrection themes of Easter, though the direct historical connection is contested by scholars.
Q4. Which spring symbol, common in Easter traditions today, was historically associated with fertility and new life in many European cultures before Christianity spread?
- A. The rabbit or hare ✓
- B. The owl
- C. The wolf
- D. The snake
Why: Hares and rabbits are famous for their high reproductive rates, making them natural symbols of fertility and spring renewal in many European traditions. The Easter Bunny later became a popular figure, especially in Germany, where it was associated with bringing eggs and gifts to children.
Q5. Why do many scholars caution against assuming Easter is simply a 'pagan' festival in disguise?
- A. Because there is no evidence that any spring festivals existed before Christianity
- B. Because the Christian Easter developed from Jewish Passover and early Christian practices centered on the resurrection, and pagan links are often based on late or limited sources ✓
- C. Because Easter was invented in the 19th century
- D. Because pagan spring festivals were all held in winter
Why: Early Christian Easter was rooted in Jewish Passover and the Christian belief in Christ's resurrection, with the date set by lunar and calendar calculations. Many claimed pagan parallels come from sources written centuries later, so scholars treat them with caution rather than as proven origins.
Module 4
Module 4: Holy Week: Rituals and Observances
Holy Week: Rituals and Observances
Knowledge check
Q1. Which day of Holy Week commemorates Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples?
- A. Palm Sunday
- B. Maundy Thursday ✓
- C. Good Friday
- D. Holy Saturday
Why: Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, where Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples and, according to the Gospel of John, washed their feet as an act of service. The word 'Maundy' comes from the Latin 'mandatum,' meaning commandment, referring to Jesus' command to love one another.
Q2. What is the traditional name for the Sunday that begins Holy Week, when Jesus is remembered entering Jerusalem?
- A. Low Sunday
- B. Palm Sunday ✓
- C. Passion Sunday
- D. Easter Sunday
Why: Palm Sunday marks Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when crowds reportedly laid palm branches on his path. Churches often distribute palm fronds or branches during services to recall this event.
Q3. Good Friday is observed as a day of which of the following?
- A. Celebration and feasting
- B. Mourning and remembrance of the crucifixion ✓
- C. Baptism of new believers
- D. Celebration of the Resurrection
Why: Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus. It is traditionally observed as a solemn day of fasting, prayer, and reflection, and in many churches services include readings of the Passion narrative and veneration of the cross.
Q4. What is the name of the quiet day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday?
- A. Ash Wednesday
- B. Holy Saturday ✓
- C. Shrove Tuesday
- D. Ascension Day
Why: Holy Saturday falls between Good Friday and Easter Sunday and is traditionally a day of silent waiting, reflecting on Jesus' time in the tomb. Many churches hold the Easter Vigil after sunset on this day, often lighting a new fire and celebrating the first Resurrection liturgy.
Q5. Which practice is traditionally associated with Maundy Thursday in many churches?
- A. Lighting the Advent wreath
- B. Ringing church bells that then fall silent until Easter ✓
- C. Dyeing eggs red
- D. Hanging decorations on a Christmas tree
Why: Many churches stop ringing their bells from Maundy Thursday until the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday, a custom said to symbolize mourning. Children are sometimes told that the bells have flown to Rome, a folk explanation for the silence.
Module 5
Module 5: Easter Symbols: Eggs, Rabbits, and Lilies
Easter Symbols: Eggs, Rabbits, and Lilies
Knowledge check
Q1. Which Easter symbol is traditionally associated with new life and fertility?
- A. The Easter lily
- B. The Easter egg ✓
- C. The Easter basket
- D. The Easter bonnet
Why: Eggs have long symbolized new life, and in Christian tradition the egg's hard shell was seen as representing the sealed tomb of Jesus, from which he emerged in the resurrection.
Q2. Why is the rabbit (or hare) connected with Easter?
- A. Rabbits were sacred animals in ancient Rome
- B. Rabbits are a symbol of fertility and spring, and the German Osterhase tradition spread the custom ✓
- C. Rabbits are mentioned repeatedly in the Gospels
- D. Rabbits were used as sacrifices during Lent
Why: Rabbits and hares are fertile animals linked to spring renewal. The Easter Hare (Osterhase) tradition from German-speaking regions, where children were said to receive eggs from the hare, later spread to America.
Q3. The Easter lily is especially associated with which theme?
- A. Harvest and abundance
- B. Purity and resurrection ✓
- C. Warfare and victory
- D. Winter and mourning
Why: White lilies symbolize purity, and their springtime blooming at Easter ties them to the resurrection of Christ. Lilies are often placed on church altars during the Easter season.
Q4. Where do many scholars believe the Easter lily's association with Easter originated?
- A. Ancient Egyptian funeral rites
- B. Lilies in Renaissance paintings of the Annunciation and the Virgin Mary ✓
- C. Norse spring festivals
- D. Greek Olympic games
Why: Renaissance artists often depicted the angel Gabriel holding a white lily during the Annunciation, linking the flower to purity and to the Easter story of new life.
Q5. What does the practice of decorating eggs at Easter commonly represent in Eastern Orthodox traditions?
- A. The forty days of fasting
- B. The blood of Christ and the joy of resurrection ✓
- C. The gathering of the harvest
- D. The arrival of the Magi
Why: In Eastern Orthodox tradition, red-dyed eggs symbolize the blood of Christ shed at the crucifixion and the triumph of life over death at the resurrection.
Module 6
Module 6: Regional Easter Traditions Around the World
Regional Easter Traditions Around the World
Knowledge check
Q1. In Poland, a popular Easter Monday tradition involves people pouring water on one another. What is this tradition called?
- A. Śmigus-dyngus ✓
- B. Pisanki
- C. Wielkanoc
- D. Jajko-rzut
Why: Śmigus-dyngus, also called Wet Monday, is a Polish Easter Monday custom in which people splash water on each other, traditionally a playful way to symbolize renewal and cleansing.
Q2. In Greece, what is the traditional color of the Easter eggs that families crack against one another during the Easter celebration?
- A. Blue
- B. Green
- C. Red ✓
- D. White
Why: In Greece, eggs are dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ and rebirth. Families play a game called tsougrisma, where they tap eggs together, and the last unbroken egg is said to bring good luck for the year.
Q3. In Sweden, children dressed as witches traditionally go door to door around Easter, similar to Halloween trick-or-treating. What do they typically receive in return?
- A. Coins
- B. Candy and small gifts
- C. Decorated eggs or sweets ✓
- D. Flowers
Why: Swedish children dress as Easter witches (påskkärringar) and visit neighbors, who often give them decorated eggs or sweets, a custom linked to folk beliefs about witches flying to bald mountains before Easter.
Q4. In the Philippines, a famous Holy Week tradition involves reenacting the crucifixion of Jesus. What is this practice commonly known as?
- A. Panunuluyan
- B. Senakulo ✓
- C. Salubong
- D. Pabasa
Why: The Senakulo is a dramatic Passion play performed during Holy Week in many Filipino communities, depicting scenes from the life, suffering, and death of Jesus. Crucifixion reenactments are also seen in some villages.
Q5. In Germany and Austria, a mythical figure is said to bring colored eggs and chocolate to children on Easter. What is this figure called?
- A. Osterhase (Easter Hare) ✓
- B. Osterkind (Easter Child)
- C. Osterlamm (Easter Lamb)
- D. Osterhahn (Easter Rooster)
Why: The Osterhase, or Easter Hare, is a German tradition that originated in the 1600s. Children build nests for it, and it leaves colored eggs and treats, a custom later carried to America by German immigrants.
Module 7
Module 7: Easter in Modern Culture and Celebrations
Easter in Modern Culture and Celebrations
Knowledge check
Q1. Which symbol is most commonly associated with Easter as a sign of new life and rebirth?
- A. Pumpkin
- B. Egg ✓
- C. Pine tree
- D. Candle
Why: The egg has long symbolized new life and rebirth, which is why it became a central Easter symbol, often decorated and given as gifts.
Q2. What is the name of the character who is said to bring decorated eggs and chocolate to children on Easter in many countries?
- A. Santa Claus
- B. The Easter Bunny ✓
- C. The Tooth Fairy
- D. Father Time
Why: The Easter Bunny, sometimes called the Easter Hare, is a popular figure in many countries who is said to leave eggs and treats for children.
Q3. Which traditional Easter food is a sweet bread often braided and sometimes flavored with citrus and spices?
- A. Pretzel
- B. Hot cross bun ✓
- C. Croissant
- D. Bagel
Why: Hot cross buns are spiced sweet buns marked with a cross, traditionally eaten around Good Friday and Easter in the UK and elsewhere.
Q4. What is the name of the game in which people roll decorated eggs down a grassy hill?
- A. Egg rolling ✓
- B. Egg tossing
- C. Egg hunting
- D. Egg racing
Why: Egg rolling is a traditional Easter activity, famously held on the White House lawn in the United States and in various other communities.
Q5. In modern Easter celebrations, what is the main purpose of an Easter egg hunt?
- A. To test children's speed at running
- B. To find hidden eggs as a fun game for children ✓
- C. To collect eggs for baking
- D. To count how many eggs each family owns
Why: Easter egg hunts are a popular family activity in which children search for hidden eggs, often filled with candy or small prizes.