The lighting of the Paschal candle is one of the important ceremonies in the Easter Vigil.It symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus who overcame darkness and death. A new candle is used each year as a sign of the community's participation in the Easter mystery. The Term "Paschal" comes from the word , which in Hebrew means Passover. The Paschal Candle displays several meaningful symbols: The cross is the central symbol, mostly clearly identifying it as the Paschal candle. The Greek letter alpha (A) and omega (Ω) signify that God is the beginning and the end. The numbers of the current year represents God's presence here and now in the midst of the faithful. Five grains of incense, inserted into the wax, represents the five wounds of Jesus and the sweet spices brought by the devout women to the sepulchre.
Central to the Easter Vigil is the initiation of new members into the community through the waters of baptism. In the Blessing of Water, the Church presents a brief "history" of the religious significance of water: its gift in creation, the great flood, the Red Sea, the Jordan, the water and blood that flowed from the Savior's side (itself symbolizing Baptism and Eucharist, or humanity and divinity). Being submerged in the waters of Baptism represents a kind of death; hence the Paschal candle is lowered into the font of water to be blessed, with the words: May all who are buried with Christ in the death of baptism rise also with him to newness of life.
After the Elect are baptized, the newly blessed water is placed in the , or pail, from which the , or sprinkler, is filled. The faithful are sprinkled with new holy water, recalling their own baptism.
The Bible makes no mention of a long-eared, short-tailed creature who delivers decorated eggs to well-behaved children on Easter Sunday; nevertheless, the Easter bunny has become a prominent symbol of Christianity’s most important holiday. The exact origins of this mythical mammal are unclear, but rabbits, known to be prolific procreators, are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life. According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests. Additionally, children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his hopping
Easter is a religious holiday, but some of its customs, such as Easter eggs, are likely linked to pagan traditions. The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back to at least the 13th century, according to some sources. One explanation for this custom is that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration.
