As we would expect, Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection have been annually observed from the earliest times. Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection are described in detail in Mathew 27-28, Mark 15-16, Luke 23-24 and John 19-21. However, they are not celebrated exactly as we do now. With texts such as John 1:29 and 1 Corinthians celebrated Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection called the Paschal (Greek for “Passover”).
The earliest evidence we posses, point to the Paschal as the first of the annual Christian festivals. In fact, in the Second century A.D. a church-wide split of staggering proportions almost occurred over the correct dating and meaning of the Paschal. The Christians in Asia Minor, citing the practice of John the apostle, bishop Polycarp and others, claimed that the Christian Paschal should be observes on the 14/15 of Nissan (the seventh day of the week), just as the Old Testament commanded. The rest of Christendom, including the bishop of Rome, Iranaeus and Jerusalem, held that the Paschal should culminate on the Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. In the end the majority views won out. In recent years there has been a return in some quarters to a celebration of the Paschal; one festival celebrated over three days: Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.
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