Easter is the most important cycle in the Christian calendar since it leads up to the commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus. It starts some six weeks before with Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. This marks the beginning of lent which proceeds until Easter Sunday.

- Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and runs through to Good Friday. - Lent is a time for fasting an spiritual preparation. - Lent remembers the forty days that Jesus was tempted in the desert. - Lent is a time for fasting as Christians remember Jesus’ time in the desert and so follow the same path of self-denial. - Many Christians believe fasting is not a very positive thing to do and instead try to spiritually prepare themselves for Easter by reading more of the Bible and spending more time in Prayer and meditation on the death and resurrection of Christ

- T- This is the time when Christians prepare for the fast of lent. - They eat up all the fat in the house, often making pancakes, which provided people with a last opportunity for feasting before lent. - In some countries there are carnivals and processions on this day as well as pancake races. - Shrove comes from an old work meaning “forgiven”.

- Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and a special Eucharist is held in many churches. - Service marks the beginning of the Christian self-denial and penitence which ends with forgiveness on Easter Sunday. - On Ash Wednesday, Ash which is a traditional symbol of penitence is smeared on the foreheads of worshipers. - The Ash is made by burning the previous’ years Palm crosses.

- Mothering Sunday is the forth day of Lent. - The term mothering refers to three things: a) The Bible refers to heaven as Mother; b) The practice in the middle ages of congregations visiting “their Mother Church”, e.g. the Cathedral; c) The tradition of visiting Mothers with presents on this day. - For this one day of Lent, fasting was suspended and Simnel cakes made. -Nowadays people in Church gives thanks for Mothers on this day.

- The week before Easter is called Holy Week and begins with Palm Sunday. - On Palm Sunday Christians remember when Jesus’ rode into Jerusalem and how people waved Palm leaves and greeted him as the Messiah. - Christian services on this day often include processions with the Donkey showing the community Jesus is king. - Palm crosses are distributed to the congregation to remind Christians of Holy Week and the events that lead to Jesus’ death. - These crosses are often burnet the following Ash Wednesday.

- Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a Donkey in order to fulfill the prophecy about the Jewish Messiah. “Daughter of Zion, rejoice with all your heart; shout in triumph, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king is coming to you, his cause won, is victory gained, humble and mounted on a Donkey, on a colt, the foal of a Donkey”. Zechariah 9, v 9. - By riding on a Donkey Jesus’ was making a public statement about his future ministry and work. - Jesus’ rode humbly into Jerusalem as a man of peace and not war. - The Jews had awaited a warrior King and Jesus’ said they had closed there eyes to the clear message of the scriptures. Isaiah had spoken of a future kingdom in which a lion would lye down peacefully with a lamb and not eat it.

- The Easter Weekend begins with Good Friday - the most solemn day of the Christian Calendar. - Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus - Church services – people meet to meditate on Christ’s Crucifixion, sing somber hymns on listen to the Easter readings. - Many Christians take part in processions with the cross at its head. This is a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice and forgiveness of sin. - Christ is believed to have died at three o’clock in the afternoon at a lace called Golgotha, which means place of the Skull. - People often eat Hot Cross Buns and Fish on Good Friday.

- Following the quite anticipation of Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday is the most joyful day of the year for Christians. This is the day when Jesus’ believed to have risen from the dead. Many churches gather together to celebrate this event. - The tomb of Jesus was left empty and Christians remember this by sharing Easter Eggs. These are a symbol of new life and also the shape of a tomb stone. - Jesus reveals through his life, death and resurrection the supreme loving power of God. Many Christians feel that Jesus is alive now as a living presence in their lives. - People enjoy decorating eggs. In Greece people use these eggs in order to issue a special Easter greeting. Two people carrying an egg, knock eggs together “Christ has risen”. - Egg rolling is another Easter custom which takes place all over Britain and America and friends send cards to one another.