Easter Holidays have begun

British school children have started their two week Easter holiday. Although traditionally and still an important Christian festival, Easter today, for many people living in Britain, is a time for families, chocolate and going on holiday. There are two national holidays at Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday) which make Easter weekend a popular time for going away.

Throughout the next two weeks children will be taking part in Easter Eggs hunts at many stately homes and musuems all over Britain, including in London.

Easter – A Christian Celebration
Holy Week is the week before Easter, commemorating events in the last days of Jesus’ life on Earth. It begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Monday.

Palm Sunday 5th April 2009
The Sunday before Easter Sunday is known as Palm Sunday. It celebrates Jesus’ triumphal arrival in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Passover.
How do you celebrate Palm Sunday in your country?
Follow this link to tell us how you celebrate Palm Sunday

Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday), Thursday 9 the April 2009
The Last Supper and the betrayal by Judas. During the meal Jesus took bread and wine and shared them with his disciples. The Last Supper was probably a Passover meal – the meal which Jewish people share together to celebrate the time when God delivered Moses and the people from slavery in Egypt.

Maundy Money Ceremony
In Britain today, the Queen follows a very traditional role of giving Maundy Money to a group of pensioners on Maundy Thursday. This year the Queen will attend St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury and will present Maundy purses to 166 Suffolk pensioners.

This year, each recipient will be given two purses – a red purse containing a £5 coin celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Accession of Henry VIII and a 50p coin to mark the founding of Kew Gardens, and a white purse containing 83p in Maundy coins.

Do you have a Maundy Thursday custom in your country?
Please follow this link to tell us about it

Good Friday (Holy Friday) 10th April 2009
The arrest, trial, crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus Christ. On Good Friday, Christians remember the day when Jesus was crucified on a cross.
Follow this link for Good Friday Superstitions

Holy Saturday, the Sabbath on which Jesus rested in the grave.
Holy Saturday is also known as Easter Even and the Great Sabbath.

Easter Sunday / Easter Day Sunday 12 April 2009
The day Jesus rose from the grave.