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"Easter"
#1
Quik question... When does the Church of the East celebrate the Lord's Passion: Death, Burial, Resurrection? is it the same time/days, upon which the Roman Catholic's observe it, which they call "Good Friday" & "Easter"? Or is it the same time/days as the Passover Meal, the Feast of Unleavend Bread, & the Feast of First Fruits, which the Jews celebrate, on the 14th - 17th of Nissan.

Thanks,
Chuck
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#2
Interesingly enough, the Orthodox church in my country (and with them all the protestants) usually have the Passover at a different date than RC church. In west protestants follow the dates set by RC church, from what I can see.

We also have Slavonic Orthodox and they have their own dates for various holidays (by they are minority these days).

Nice thing though, we call Passover, in a way that sounds somewhat similar to how it is called in Hebrew.
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#3
COE historically celebrated Easter with the EO based on the old calendar, some of us still do
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#4
Does the Church of the East call it "Easter" of by another name, like Pesha or Passover?
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#5
Here's an interesting article on how is Passover named in various languages: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter#Etymology">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter#Etymology</a><!-- m -->
It also confirms that in Semitic and Romance languages (as well as Greek) the name is drawn from Hebrew.
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#6
Does the Church of the East call it "Easter" of by another name, like Pesha or Passover?
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#7
I also use the Pascha/Pesha/Passover term....If you were to go back in time to the 1st Century or even the 2nd...and asked what day "Easter" was going to be observed, they would look at you funny, and say, what are you talking about?

The Apostles and the 1st century Church celebrated the Pesha/Pascha/Passover annually, and focused on Christ's Death, (The Passover) Burial, (Un-leavened Bread) and His Resurrection (First-Fruits). Even to the date 150 A.D. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, the disciple of The Apostle John, celebrated the Feast of Passover thru First-Fruits, having that passed down from the time of St. John.

In about 115 A.D. the traditon of always on Sunday Resurrection celebration observance, began to be celebrated annually on the next 1st day of the week after the Passover, no matter what day the Passover Feast began...And for a while the Churches of the Eastern lands still did it as they had always done so, from the 14th-17th of Abib/Nissan...and the Western Churches observed it always on the following Sunday...until it was changed by them to the Sunday following the Vernal Equinox.

The Western Churches with their leaders came up with the term "quartodecimans" refering to those who kept the Feast (1st Cor 5:8) on the 14th-17th.

It is the 1st and oldest form of the Feast, which was originally celebrated on those dates by God's Chruch, no matter how we might celebrate it today.

In the time of Justin (150) A.D. there were also the tradition of holding weekly services on both Saturday & Sunday. <!-- sSmile --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /><!-- sSmile -->
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#8
There is nothing dangerous about celebrating the Feast that God established for His people to celebrate, which prophetically proclaims His Son's Sacrifice, Burial, and Resurrection.

What is dangerous though, is adding to it mens traditions, or replacing God's commandments for mens traditions, and then try to condemn others, whom God does not condemn, even using ungodly fear to try to scare them from obeying God's Holy Word and discourage people from obeying God's insrtuctions.

Some even go so far as adding pagan worship practices and symbols, to their version of God's Holy Feast... like eggs and rabbits...I witnessed the tradition of passing out hard-boiled eggs died in red food coloring, at the celebration of "Easter" which they called "Pascha", at a local Antiochian Greek Orthodox Chruch near where I live....why bother with the heathen's way, when you can enjoy the way of God, as He established it?

The Feast of Passover, includes the Feast of First-Fruits (the third day after Passover day) upon which Yahshua rose from among the dead, this took place on the 17th day of the 1st month.

And yes...GOD tells us that the Feast is ALWAYS to be held, starting upon the 14th day of the 1st month, of the Hebrew calendar, between the evenings, and it is to be celebrated by His people forever.

GOD, in His Holy Word teaches:

Exodus 12:14 "And this day shall be to you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a Feast to MARYAH throughout your generations; you shall keep it a Feast by an ordinance for ever." (How long???)

Exodus 12:18 "In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening."

Leviticus 23:5 "MARYAH's Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month."

Numbers 28:16 "On the fourteenth day of the first month MARYAH's Passover is to be held."

Joshua 5:10 "On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover."

Ezekiel 45:21 "In the first month on the fourteenth day you are to observe the Passover, a feast lasting seven days, during which you shall eat bread made without yeast."

Matthew 26:17 "On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to YAHSHUA and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

Mark 14:12 "On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

.
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#9
Also, lets not forget what, God, through The Apostle Paul tells us...concerning the Feast of Passover ---> 1 Corintians 5:7-8 "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

And concerning the Feast of Firstfruits (3rd day after Passover) ---> 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

Now, why in the world would the Word of God be speaking, through His Apostle Paul, of this connection with Yahshua's, Death and Resurrection and the Feast's days, both of Passover & Firstfruits to the Gentile Christians of Corinth? Telling them to "Keep the Feast" in an honest and truthful manner... <!-- sSmile --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /><!-- sSmile -->

It's because that is His will for them, as well for all those who have been born of His Spirit to do so as a rememberance to celebrate these awesome events, fulfilled in the Life of The Messiah...us being the True Jew's, not just of the natural seed, but of the spiritual seed of Abraham, the father of the Faith of us all.
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#10
Shlama Thirdwoe. The CoE celebrates the feast o the resurrection. Eeda d'Qyamta

Passover is referred to as Paskha. We don't keep the Passover in the manner or meaning that the Jews do. Meshikha is our Passover.

+Shamasha
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#11
Thanks for the clarification Paul...I don't say that we, who follow and believe in Yahshua Meshikha, need to celebrate the Feast of Passover according to the traditions of men, or need to do so to satisfy God's righteousness, for Yahshua Meshikha has made us holy and righteous by His sacrifice.

During the Pashka season, I believe we should be refective of all that took place in the Life of Yahshua during that week and what it's importance is and what it fullfilled of the types given to us in the "old testament".

I am happy to hear that the term "Easter" is not used...and "Feast of The Resurrection" is wonderful, as that is what its all about...If He did not rise, our faith is in vain and His death meaningless.
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#12
Rafa, you said: "while you will be celebrating alone this holiday you say everybody lost."

I don't believe that anyone who love's Yahsuah is lost Rafa...and I do not question anyones faith...but I do question the practices and traditions that have been added by various groups. We need to be careful not to go beyond what is written.

And Rafa...I am certainly not alone in my beliefs, and am in good company too. I don't believe we are to mix the traditions of men in with the Holy Feasts of God, and understand the spiritual meaning and its fulfilment in Christ...

The whole Pashka Feast is filled with meaning and Spiritual depth. I celebrate the Resurrestion of our Master with all my Brothers and Sisters in Meshikha. This year I celebrated it with the local Antiochian Greek Orthodox Church in my area...and it was wonderfull...I was very blessed... minus the red eggs, which is of pagan worship origin and not neeful or helpful...other than to eat them I guess.

Next Pashka, I am hoping to celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection with the Mar Yosip Assyrian Church of The East, in San Jose, near where I live...and will be celebrating the whole Feast of Pashka in my heart, with much thanksgiving as I do so.

May our Alaha, bless the socks off of you Rafa. <!-- s:biggrin: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif" alt=":biggrin:" title="Big Grin" /><!-- s:biggrin: -->
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