Many people prefer to spend their Easter holiday in another destination to change their routine. Egypt has became one of the first tourism countries to travel to for Easter. Your Egypt tour packages can’t be missed with Egypt Tours Portal. There are countless activities you can partake in Egypt during your time in Egypt during Easter.
One of the most magical activities is a Nile cruise between the immortal cities of Luxor and Aswan where you will a never seen beauty that keeps defying time in the shape of great structure all while enjoying the finest service. Within Luxor are monuments created to perfection like the mesmerizing valley of the kings where tombs of famous names lies like Ramses the great, Tutankhamen and more, one of the biggest religious complexes in the world the Karnak Temple, the beautiful Hatshepsut temple, the enchanting Luxor temple, the colossi of Memmnon and more. At the end of southern borders of Egypt exists piece of art such as the double temple of Kom Ombo, the glorious Edfu temple, the incredible Philae temple, the glorious Abu Simbel temple plus various more.
If you find yourself in Cairo then you are in luck as you will get the chance to travel across ancient times to the Giza Pramids complex where one of the ancient seven wonders can be found the great pyramid of Giza. Within the city of minarets lie a great number of Islamic constructions like the great Cairo citadel that hold the alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali, Amr Ibn Alas Mosque, Ibn Tulan and more. There are a lot of Coptic wonders within the city like the marvelous Hanging Church, Abu Serga Church and the first Jewish temple Ben Ezra synagogue where Easter can be truly celebrated.
Within the gem of the Mediterranean, Alexandria, are a group of majestic monuments from the Greco roman period such as the Qaitbey citadel built on top the ruins of Alexandria lighthouse, the catacombs, the Pompey pillar and the modern Alexandria library. These destinations will make your vacation a one to remember for the rest of your life.
Easter is a Christian festival that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, which established Jesus as “The Son of God”. According to the New Testament, it happened in the third day of his burial after his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary 30 AD. Christians start with a 40 days period of fasting, prayer and sacrifice. They end with a Holy Week, which includes Holy Thursday (the celebration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his 12 Apostles), Good Friday (on which Jesus’ death is observed), and Easter Sunday. Easter had to be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox according to the decision of the council.
In the Old Testament, Easter is linked to Passover through the following events of the resurrection including Sufferings, Last Supper, and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Easter’s date is determined according to the Lunisolar calendar so Easter is the third Sunday in the paschal lunar month.
The History of the Resurrection of Jesus
According to Christianity, the Roman authorities arrested Jesus for claiming that he is “the Son of God” and decided to send him to death through crucifixion by Pontius Pilate. This incident is marked for Christians as “Holiday Good Friday”. After three days, they found the tomb empty and those who believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection are given “the gift of eternal life”. Those of faith will be welcomed into the “Kingdom of Heaven” upon their earthly death.
What Does Easter Mean?
The Venerable Bede, who was the 18th century monk suggested that the word Easter might have come from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre or Eeostre, the goddess of fertility. There is also another meaning of the word ostara or eastur, which mean “the season of the growing sun”.
Easter Customs
The customs of Easter vary between Christians and these customs include sunrise services, decorating Easter eggs, which refer to the empty tomb, clipping the church, and there are also other additional customs including the Easter bunny, egg hunting, and Easter parades.
The Easter Bunny
One must ask a question now, what is the relation between Easter and a bunny? It is all about the pagan beliefs and celebrations. The reason behind using rabbits as symbols in Easter is their fertility and also the hare is an ancient symbol of the moon and obviously the date of Easter depends on the moon. Rabbits give the image of getting out of the ground just like how Jesus came out of his tomb. This Easter bunnies custom crossed the Atlantic and spread all over the Christian world. It is somehow similar to the character of Santa Claus in America.
The Easter Eggs
Just like the Easter bunny, the Easter eggs have long been symbols of Easter. Eggs symbolize life, the rebirth, the beginning of a new life and many people around the world believe that the world started with a big egg. People started in the fourth century to present eggs in churches with holy water to be blessed. Eggs were dyed red for joy of the sacrifice of Jesus and in a memory of Christ’s blood. Children started hiding nests for Easter and from here, the tradition of hunting eggs started. The modern custom nowadays is about replacing the chicken eggs with decorated candy or plastic eggs filled with candy.
The Easter Lamb
The lamb is the strongest Christian symbol as it represents the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Before Christ, The lamb comes from the Jewish Passover. Each family had to sacrifice a lamb but when Christ became the Passover lamb for everyone, the lamb started to symbolize Jesus Christ.
Sunrise Festivals
It is a new addition of Easter for the memory of the first woman, who went to the tomb on the first Easter morning and found it empty. The Moravian immigrants brought the tradition to the United States of America in 1743.
