Eastertide (also known as Eastertime or the Easter season ) or Paschaltide (also known as Paschaltime or the Paschal season ) is a festal season in the liturgical year of Christianity that focuses on celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ . Preceded by Lent , it begins on Easter Sunday, which initiates Easter Week in Western Christianity , and Bright Week in Eastern Christianity .
143-518: There are several Eastertide customs across the Christian world , including flowering the cross , sunrise services , the wearing of Easter bonnets by women, exclaiming the Paschal greeting , clipping the church , and decorating Easter eggs , a symbol of the empty tomb . Additional Eastertide traditions include egg hunting , eating special Easter foods and watching Easter parades . The Easter lily ,
286-597: A novena . Before the 1969 revision of the calendar, the Sundays were called First Sunday after Easter, Second Sunday after Easter, etc. The Sunday preceding the feast of the Ascension of the Lord was sometimes, although not officially, called Rogation Sunday , and when the Ascension had an octave, the following Sunday was called Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension. When this octave
429-598: A smörgåsbord of herring, salmon, potatoes, eggs, and other kinds of food. In Finland, it is common to eat roasted lamb with potatoes and other vegetables. In Finland, the Lutheran majority enjoys mämmi as another traditional Easter treat, while the Orthodox minority's traditions include eating pasha (also spelled paskha ) instead. In the western parts of Sweden and in Finnish Ostrobothnia , bonfires have at least since
572-411: A chicken is slaughtered at midnight for the symbolic occasion. In the morning, after a rest, a sheep is slaughtered to start the feasting on Easter Sunday. While Catholics and Protestant denominations have special Easter Services/Masses bringing in people from various smaller community churches together to participate in an Easter sermon and celebration. In Ethiopian - Eritrean Orthodox Christianity or
715-841: A claim of sovereignty on the part of the Papacy, and to secure the recognition of its self-asserted rights of possession. On the ground of "immemorial usage", Corsica and Sardinia were assumed to belong to the Roman Church. Spain , Hungary and Croatia were also claimed as her property, and an attempt was made to induce the king of Denmark to hold his realm as a fief from the pope. In his treatment of ecclesiastical policy and ecclesiastical reform, Gregory did not stand alone, but found powerful support: in England Archbishop Lanfranc of Canterbury stood closest to him; in France his champion
858-416: A curtailment of the powers of bishops. Since these refused to submit voluntarily and tried to assert their traditional independence, his papacy is full of struggles against the higher ranks of the clergy. Pope Gregory VII was critical in promoting and regulating the concept of modern universities as his 1079 Papal Decree ordered the regulated establishment of cathedral schools that transformed themselves into
1001-631: A dispersion of his strength in the conflict soon to break out in Germany. Pope Gregory attempted to organize a crusade into Al-Andalus , led by Count Ebles II of Roucy . Gregory, in fact, established some sort of relations with every country in Christendom; though these relations did not invariably realize the ecclesiastico-political hopes connected with them. His correspondence extended to Poland , Kievan Rus' and Bohemia . He unsuccessfully tried to bring Armenia into closer contact with Rome. Gregory
1144-505: A list of accusations against the pope before the assembly, which resolved that Gregory had forfeited the papacy. In one document full of accusations, the bishops renounced their allegiance to Gregory. In another, Henry pronounced him deposed, and required the Romans to choose a new pope. The council sent two bishops to Italy, who then procured a similar act of deposition from the Lombard bishops at
1287-483: A man mighty in human and divine knowledge, a distinguished lover of equity and justice, a man firm in adversity and temperate in prosperity, a man, according to the saying of the Apostle, of good behavior, blameless, modest, sober, chaste, given to hospitality, and one that ruleth well his own house; a man from his childhood generously brought up in the bosom of this Mother Church, and for the merit of his life already raised to
1430-607: A new sheet iron horse, built on the model of the previous one, took the place of the wooden one. Church bells are silent as a sign of mourning for one or more days before Easter in The Netherlands, Belgium and France. This has led to an Easter tradition that says the bells fly out of their steeples to go to Rome (explaining their silence), and return on Easter morning bringing both colored eggs and hollow chocolate shaped like eggs or rabbits. In both The Netherlands and Dutch-speaking Belgium, many more modern traditions exist alongside
1573-608: A popular Easter pastime is egg throwing . In this "game" there are no winners or losers, nor any apparent aim. Participants throw a painted and decorated hard boiled egg as far as they can across the fields. This is repeated until eventually the egg bursts apart, an event that takes a sometimes surprising number of throws. In other versions it is a competitive event when pairs throw a raw egg to each other while moving further and further apart. In Hungary, Transylvania , Southern Slovakia , Kárpátalja , Northern Serbia - Vojvodina , and other territories with Hungarian-speaking communities,
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#17328474841611716-597: A special atmosphere during the whole Easter Night with their bright lights in the dark and the omnipresent smell of smoke. During the weeks before Easter, special Easter bread is sold (in German: Osterbrot ). This is made with yeast dough, raisins , and almond splinters . Usually, it is cut in slices and spread with butter. People enjoy it either for breakfast or for tea time (in German: Kaffee und Kuchen , literally ″coffee and cake″). In many parts of Germany
1859-648: A sweet bread called kozunak . In the Czech Republic, Slovakia , and some parts of Hungary, a tradition of spanking or whipping is carried out on Easter Monday . In the morning, men spank women with a special handmade whip called " Easter switches " called a pomlázka (in Czech) or korbáč (in Slovak); in eastern regions of former Czechoslovakia Moravia and Slovakia they also pour cold water on them. The pomlázka/korbáč consists of eight, 12 or even 24 withies (willow rods),
2002-522: A symbol of the resurrection in Christianity, traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day and for the rest of Eastertide. Traditionally lasting 40 days to commemorate the time the resurrected Jesus remained on earth before his Ascension , in some western churches Eastertide lasts 50 days to conclude on the day of Pentecost or Whitsunday . Easter time is the period of 50 days, spanning from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. It
2145-457: A traditional 40 day Eastertide which concludes on Ascension Day, also known as Holy Thursday. The Te Deum and Gloria are recited every day even in the ferial Office. On Sundays the "Asperges" is replaced by the "Vidi Aquam" which recalls the solemn baptism of Easter eve. There is no feast day from Easter until Ascension. The Armenians during this period do away even with the abstinence on Fridays. Prayers are said standing, not kneeling. Instead of
2288-607: A very irregular fashion, contrary to the Constitution of the Pope of 607. This ecclesiastical statute forbade a papal election to begin until the third day after a pope's burial. Cardinal Ugo's intervention was contrary to the Constitution of Nicholas II, which affirmed the exclusive right to name candidates to Cardinal Bishops; finally, it ignored the Constitution's requirement that the Holy Roman Emperor be consulted. However, Gregory
2431-573: Is a customary requirement to jump over fire. In northern Germany, Easter Fires (in German: Osterfeuer , listen ) are lit around sunset on Holy Saturday . Each of the federal states have their own regulations for allowing and/or the way of staging Easter Fires: While in the city and state of Hamburg , private persons are allowed to have an Easter Fire of any size on their own premises, in Schleswig-Holstein , for example, only
2574-471: Is a day of preparation for the breaking of this long fasting period. The Orthodox Christians prostrate themselves in church, bowing down and rising up until they get tired. The main religious service takes place with the Paschal Vigil on Saturday night. It is a somber, sacred occasion with music and dancing until the early hours of the morning. At 3:00 a.m. everyone returns home to break their fast, and
2717-448: Is a day when people celebrate; there is a release of enjoyment after the long build-up of suffering which has taken place, to represent Christ 's fasting for forty days and forty nights. People often have food and for most Orthodox Christians locally brewed alcohol from fresh honey ( tej , tella and katikalla ), while to a certain extent Ethiopian-Eritrean Protestantism generally discourages heavy alcohol. Ethiopians and Eritreans in
2860-552: Is a highly anticipated custom by Jamaican nationals all over the world. The Jamaica Easter Buns are spiced and have raisins, and baked in a loaf tin. The buns are sliced and eaten with a slice of cheese. It is a common practice for employers to make gifts of bun and cheese or a single loaf of bun to staff members. According to the Jamaica Gleaner , "The basic Easter bun recipe requires wheat flour, brown sugar, molasses, baking powder or yeast and dried fruits." Easter egg traditions and
3003-525: Is a result of the mixing of an old Orthodox tradition (blessing houses with willow branches) and the Swedish Easter witch tradition. Brightly coloured feathers and little decorations are also attached to birch branches in a vase. In Finland, it is common to plant ryegrass in a pot as a symbol of spring and new life. After the grass has grown, many people put chick decorations on it. Children busy themselves painting eggs and making paper bunnies. Denmark has
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#17328474841613146-776: Is a significant Christian indigenous population in both states. In the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda , historically famous for growing and exporting the Easter lily , the most notable feature of the Easter celebration is the flying of kites to symbolize Christ's ascent. Traditional Bermuda kites are constructed by Bermudians of all ages as Easter approaches, and are normally only flown at Easter. In addition to hot cross buns and Easter eggs, fish cakes are traditionally eaten in Bermuda at this time. In Jamaica, eating bun and cheese
3289-461: Is a traditional addition to the Easter meal for many Polish Catholics. Butter is shaped into a lamb either by hand or in a lamb-shaped mold. Preparations for Easter celebration in Ukraine begin weeks before the feast day, with Great Lent being part of it. The Ukrainian Easter eggs include pysanky , krashanky (edible, one-colour dyed eggs), driapanky (a design is scratched on the eggshell) etc. During
3432-423: Is an Italian traditional Easter bread , the Easter counterpart of the two well-known Italian Christmas desserts, panettone and pandoro . In Versilia , as a sign of forgiveness, but this time towards Jesus, the women of the sailors kiss the earth, saying: " Terra bacio e terra sono - Gesù mio, chiedo perdono " ("I kiss the earth and earth I am - my Jesus, I ask for forgiveness"). In Abruzzo , however, it
3575-543: Is associated with various Easter foods (food traditions that vary regionally). Preparing, coloring, and decorating Easter eggs is one such popular tradition. Lamb is eaten in many countries, mirroring the Jewish Passover meal. Eating lamb at Easter has a religious meaning. The Paschal Lamb of the New Testament is in fact, for Christianity, the son of God Jesus Christ. The Paschal Lamb, in particular, represents
3718-429: Is celebrated as a single joyful feast, called the "great Lord's Day". Each Sunday of the season is treated as a Sunday of Easter. In some traditions, Easter Sunday is the first Sunday of Eastertide and the following Sunday (Low Sunday) is the second Sunday of Eastertide and so on. Easter Sunday and Pentecost correspond to pre-existing Jewish feasts: The first day of Pesach (פסח) and the holiday of Shavu'ot (שבועות). In
3861-534: Is kept the apodosis or conclusion of the feast of Easter. The Greeks sing the Canons of Easter up to this Tuesday in the same manner as during Easter Week, whilst in the Latin Church the specific Easter Office terminates on Saturday following the feast. Thursday is the feast of the Ascension. The Friday of this week, in Germany, is called "Witterfreitag"; the fields are blessed against frost and thunderstorms. Sunday within
4004-563: Is lit on Easter and on Sundays during Eastertide. Eastertide ends on the Day of Pentecost. The Easter lily , a symbol of the resurrection, traditionally serve as the chancel flowers that decorate the chancel area of churches throughout Eastertide. The Orthodox (Greek) Church celebrates on Friday of Easter Week the feast of Our Lady, the Living Fountain (shrine at Constantinople). The Sundays from Easter to Ascension Day , besides being called
4147-614: Is often more appropriately applied to the Third Sunday instead. The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday and Vocations Sunday. In Greek Orthodoxy, this day is called the Sunday of the Paralytic. The Asian Churches on Wednesday after the third Sunday celebrate with a very solemn Office and an octave, the Mesopentekoste, the completion of the first half of Paschal Tide; it
4290-517: Is one of the country's major holidays . In Italy, there are many traditions related to Easter . Traditional Italian dishes for the Easter period are abbacchio , cappello del prete , casatiello , Colomba di Pasqua , pastiera , penia , pizza di Pasqua and pizzelle . Abbacchio is an Italian preparation of lamb typical of the Roman cuisine . It is a product protected by the European Union with
4433-509: Is the custom of farmers during Easter to add holy water to food. Holy water is also used in Julian March , where half a glass is drunk on an empty stomach, before eating two hard-boiled eggs and a focaccia washed down with white wine. Another symbol used during the Easter period is fire. In particular, in Coriano , in the province of Rimini , bonfires are lit on Easter Eve. At the same time,
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4576-822: Is the feast of the manifestation of the Messiah; the Slav nations in this day have a solemn procession and benediction of their rivers. The fifth Sunday is called Cantate Sunday ; by the Orientals it is called Sunday of the Samaritan Woman. The sixth Sunday, "Vocem jucunditatis" in Asia, Sunday of the Man Born Blind. In the Latin Church follow the Rogation Days ; in the Greek Church on Tuesday
4719-469: Is told, but church bells are silent beginning Maundy Thursday , the beginning of the Paschal Triduum . In Norway, in addition to staying at mountain cabins, cross-country skiing and painting eggs, a contemporary tradition is to read or watch murder mysteries at Easter. All the major television channels run crime and detective stories (such as Agatha Christie's Poirot ), magazines print stories where
4862-502: Is usually from half a metre to two meters long and decorated with coloured ribbons at the end. In some regions it might be replaced by a stick of a juniper tree. The spanking may be painful, but it's not intended to cause suffering. A legend says that women should be spanked with a whip in order to keep their health, beauty, and fertility during the whole next year. An additional purpose can be for men to exhibit their attraction to women; unvisited women can even feel offended. Traditionally,
5005-625: The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the 40th day of Eastertide (a Thursday), except in countries where it is not a Holy Day of Obligation . In such countries it is celebrated on the following Sunday (the 43rd day of Eastertide). The nine days from that feast until the Saturday before Pentecost (inclusive) are days of preparation for the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, which inspired the form of prayer called
5148-644: The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (then including the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church ) since the times of Frumentius . Ethiopian (Ethio-Eritrean, Eastern) Easter, or Fasika, however, takes place in all the Christian Churches throughout the country, whether it be Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant, and follows the eastern method of calculating Easter (see Computus for details), thus tending to fall after Easter in
5291-491: The PGI mark . Eating lamb at Easter has a religious meaning. The Paschal Lamb of the New Testament is in fact, for Christianity, the son of God Jesus Christ. The Paschal Lamb, in particular, represents the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity. Eating lamb at Easter therefore commemorates the Death and Resurrection of Jesus . Colomba di Pasqua ( English : "Easter Dove")
5434-594: The Tewahedo faith, it is believed the near-sacrifice of Abraham 's loved son Isaac (Genesis 22), which was a test of faith from God to Abraham, was interrupted by a voice of an angel from the heavens, and the sending of a Lamb for the sacrifice instead. This Old Testament story is said to be a prophetic foreshadowing of God sending his only beloved son for the world as a sacrifice and the fulfilling of Abraham's promise. Easter in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and its diaspora communities,
5577-452: The blood of Christ , shed at his crucifixion. As such, for Christians, the Easter egg is a symbol of the empty tomb . The oldest tradition is to use dyed chicken eggs . Easter, known as Fasika ( Ge'ez : ፋሲካ, sometimes transcribed as Fasica ; from Greek Pascha ), also called Tensae (Ge'ez: ትንሣኤ, "to rise") is celebrated among Ethiopian and Eritrean Christians. In Ethiopia, the most prominent and longstanding religion has been
5720-549: The gækkebrev tradition of sending relatives and friends artful paper cuttings , often with a snowdrop , and a rhyme with the letters of the sender's name replaced by dots. If the recipient guesses who sent it, the sender owes them a chocolate egg; and vice versa if they can't. The decorated letter custom was originally a means of proposal or courtship, but is now considered mostly for children. For lunch or dinner on Holy Saturday , families in Sweden and Denmark traditionally feast on
5863-452: The imperium . But at no period would he have dreamed of putting the two powers on an equal footing; the superiority of church to state was to him a fact which admitted of no discussion and which he had never doubted. He wished to see all important matters of dispute referred to Rome; appeals were to be addressed to himself; the centralization of ecclesiastical government in Rome naturally involved
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6006-514: The "Angelus" the "Regina Caeli" is recited. From Easter to Ascension many churches, about the tenth century, said only one Nocturn at Matins; even some particular churches in the city of Rome adopted this custom from the Teutons (Bäumer, "Gesch. des Breviers", 312). Pope Gregory VII limited this privilege to the week of Easter and of Pentecost. Some dioceses in Germany retained it far into the nineteenth century for 40 days after Easter. In every Nocturn
6149-571: The 14th century, instead, three pieces of flint were used that according to tradition came from the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem . These pieces of flint were donated to the Pazzi family by Godfrey of Bouillon . Later, the use of the sacred fire in Florence materialized in a chariot full of fireworks ( Scoppio del carro ). The Cavallo di fuoco is an historical reconstruction which takes place in
6292-457: The 18th century been lit during Holy Saturday. This tradition is claimed to have its origin in Holland. During the last decades though, the bonfires have in many places been moved to Walpurgis Night , as this is the traditional date for bonfires in many other parts of the country. In Poland, white sausage and mazurek are typical Easter breakfast dishes. The butter lamb (Baranek wielkanocny)
6435-660: The Archdeacon!" Hildebrand immediately fled, and hid himself for some time, thereby making it clear that he had refused the uncanonical election in the Liberian Basilica. He was finally found at the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli , to which a famous monastery was attached, and elected pope by the assembled cardinals, with the due consent of the Roman clergy, amid the repeated acclamations of
6578-409: The Church to annihilate not merely a single state, but all states. Thus Gregory VII, as a politician wanting to achieve some result, was driven in practice to adopt a different standpoint. He acknowledged the existence of the state as a dispensation of providence , described the coexistence of church and state as a divine ordinance, and emphasized the necessity of union between the sacerdotium and
6721-452: The Church. In the two years following Gregory's election, the Saxon rebellion fully occupied Henry and forced him to come to terms with the pope at any cost. In May 1074 Henry did penance at Nuremberg —in the presence of the papal legates—to atone for his continued friendship with the members of his council who had been banned by Gregory; he took an oath of obedience, and promised his support in
6864-713: The County of Grosseto , now southern Tuscany , the son of a blacksmith . As a youth he was sent to study in Rome at the monastery of St. Mary on the Aventine , where his uncle was reportedly abbot of a monastery on the Aventine Hill . Among his masters were the erudite Lawrence, archbishop of Amalfi , and Johannes Gratianus, the future Pope Gregory VI . When the latter was deposed at the Council of Sutri in December of 1046, with approval of
7007-641: The Czech Republic. A similar tradition existed in Poland (where it is called Dyngus Day ), but it is now little more than an all-day water fight . In Bosnia and Herzegovina , Croatia , and Slovenia , a basket of food is prepared, covered with a handmade cloth, and brought to the church to be blessed. A typical Easter basket includes bread, colored eggs, ham , horseradish , and a type of nut cake called "potica". In Bosnia and Herzegovina , Montenegro , Serbia and Kosovo , jumping over flames ( Serbian Cyrillic : Крљавештице , romanized : Krljaveštice )
7150-645: The Easter Bell story. The bells (" de Paasklokken ") leave for Rome on Holy Saturday , called "Stille Zaterdag" (literally "Silent Saturday") in Dutch. In the northern and eastern parts of the Netherlands ( Twente and Achterhoek ), Easter Fires (in Dutch: Paasvuur ) are lit at sunset on Easter Day. In French-speaking Belgium and France the same story of Easter Bells (" les cloches de Pâques ") bringing eggs from Rome
7293-575: The Easter Bunny activities are not widespread in Jamaica. Also, Jamaican traditions sometimes include throwing garlic onto the floor as a sign of good luck during Easter dinner. In Louisiana, USA, egg tapping is known as egg-knocking. Marksville, Louisiana claims to host the oldest egg-knocking competition in the US, dating back to the 1950s. Competitors pair up on the steps of the courthouse on Easter Sunday and knock
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#17328474841617436-573: The Easter Vigil a priest also blesses the parishioners' Easter baskets, which include Easter eggs, paska , butter, cheese, kovbasa , salt and a few other products. With this food, on their return home, people break their fast. The ritual is called 'rozhovyny' . People visit their relatives and neighbours exchanging Easter greetings. Celebration of Easter in Ukraine is filled with many other customs and rituals, most of which are centuries-old. In Scotland,
7579-421: The Easter eggs are decorated on Thursday or Saturday before Easter. Widespread tradition is to fight with eggs by pair, and the one whose egg is the last surviving is called borak ( Bulgarian : борак or борец , fighter ). The tradition is to display the decorated eggs on the Easter table together with the Easter dinner consisting of roasted lamb , a salad called Easter salad ( lettuce with cucumbers ), and
7722-504: The Easter season begins with the Easter Vigil and ends after Evening Prayer (or Night Prayer ) on the Day of Pentecost. Some Anglican provinces continue to label the Sundays between Easter and the Ascension "Sundays After Easter" rather than "Sundays of Easter"; others, such as the Church of England and ECUSA , use the term "Sundays of Easter". Anglican provinces and dioceses which continue to use The Book of Common Prayer (1662) as their standard of doctrine and liturgy persist in having
7865-421: The First, Second (etc.) Sunday in Easteride or after Easter Sunday, have their own peculiar titles. The Second Sunday of Easter is also known in Western Christianity as Divine Mercy Sunday , the Octave Day of Easter, White Sunday, Quasimodo Sunday, and Low Sunday. In Eastern Christianity, this day is known as Antipascha, New Sunday (or Renewal Sunday), and Thomas Sunday. Traditionally, the Third Sunday of Easter
8008-399: The Fourth Lateran to confess to the parish priest fell into disuse and permission was given to confess anywhere, the precept of receiving Easter Communion in the parish church was still in force where there are canonically erected parishes. The term Paschal Tide was usually interpreted to mean the two weeks between Palm and Low Sundays (Synod of Avignon, 1337). By St. Antonine of Florence it
8151-417: The German princes that he would expect their escort on 8 January 1077 to Mantua . This escort had not appeared when he received the news of Henry's arrival at Canossa , where Gregory had taken refuge under the protection of his close ally, Matilda of Tuscany . Henry had travelled through Burgundy , greeted with enthusiasm by the Lombards, but he resisted the temptation to employ force. In an astonishing turn,
8294-433: The German princes. Contemporary evidence suggests that the excommunication of Henry made a profound impression both in Germany and Italy. Thirty years before, Henry III had deposed three unworthy claimants to the papacy, a service acknowledged by the Church and public opinion. When Henry IV again attempted this procedure he lacked support. In Germany there was a rapid and general feeling in favor of Gregory, strengthening
8437-412: The Greeks bless wheat cakes and hold processions to the cemeteries. In the Eastern Orthodox Church , Pascha begins on Easter Sunday at Matins which is normally celebrated at midnight and continues for forty days through the ninth hour on the day before the Ascension . The East Syriac Rite refers to Eastertide as the Season of Resurrection , also known by the Syriac transliteration Qyamta and
8580-526: The Holy Roman Emperor Henry III and exiled to Germany , Hildebrand followed him to Cologne . According to some chroniclers, Hildebrand moved to Cluny after Gregory VI's death, which occurred in 1048; though his declaration to have become a monk at Cluny is disputed. He then accompanied Cluny's Abbot Bruno of Toul to Rome; there, Bruno was elected pope, choosing the name Leo IX , and named Hildebrand as deacon and papal administrator. In 1054 Leo sent Hildebrand as his legate to Tours in France in
8723-411: The Holy See when the long-standing case of the right of Dol to be a metropolitan and use the pallium was finally decided. King William felt himself so safe that he interfered autocratically with the management of the church, forbade the bishops to visit Rome, made appointments to bishoprics and abbeys , and showed little anxiety when the pope lectured him on the different principles which he had as to
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#17328474841618866-427: The Jewish tradition, the 49 days between these holidays are known as Counting of the Omer (ספירת העומר). The first eight days constitute the Octave of Easter and are celebrated as solemnities of the Lord. Since 2000, the Second Sunday of Easter is also called Divine Mercy Sunday . The name "Low Sunday" for this Sunday, once common in English, is now used mainly in the Church of England. The solemnity of
9009-492: The May bush. A tradition among children was to collect their own food for a feast, including eggs and potatoes, which they would cook outdoors using a fire. They would also eat buttered bread, sweet cakes, with milk of homemade cordial. The place the children's feast was held would be known as a clúdóg . As a game on Easter Sunday, it was a custom to roll hard boiled eggs down a hill. There are records of Easter Sunday being referred to as Easter Egg Day as far back as 1827, recounting
9152-494: The Norman duke Robert Guiscard . Gregory VII replied with a harsh letter dated 8 December 1075, in which he accused Henry of breaching his word and of continuing to support excommunicated councillors. At the same time, the pope sent a verbal message threatening not only the ban of the Church against the emperor, but the deprivation of his crown. At the same time, Gregory was menaced by Cencio I Frangipane , who on Christmas night surprised him in church and kidnapped him, though he
9295-470: The Pope could appoint or depose bishops or move them from see to see, an act which was later to cause the Investiture Controversy . Gregory VII's main political project was his relationship with the Holy Roman Empire. Since the death of Holy Roman Emperor Henry III, the strength of the German monarchy had been seriously weakened, and his untried son Henry IV had to contend with great internal difficulties, presenting an opportunity for Gregory to strengthen
9438-440: The West especially those of the Catholic and Protestant denominations celebrate Easter on both the Eastern and Western days. While most Ethiopian-Eritrean Orthodox Christians in the West refrain from doing so because celebrating the Western Easter celebration would interfere with the Orthodox Eastern Fasting Season. In most cases the Catholic Western Fasting Season ends earlier than the Orthodox Eastern Fasting Season as can be seen in
9581-447: The Western calendar (some years both fall on the same date). Fasika is a much more important festival than Christmas , since the Death and Resurrection of Jesus is more significant in Orthodox and Ethiopian Evangelical theology than his birth. Jesus' crucifixion which led to his death on a Friday, according to Orthodox thought was for the purpose of fulfilling the word of God, and led to the conquest of death and Jesus' resurrection from
9724-440: The archidiaconal dignity. [...] We choose then our Archdeacon Hildebrand to be pope and successor to the Apostle, and to bear henceforward and forever the name of Gregory" (22 April 1073). Gregory VII's first attempts in foreign policy were towards a reconciliation with the Normans of Robert Guiscard ; in the end the two parties did not meet. After a failed call for a crusade to the princes of northern Europe, and after obtaining
9867-459: The ban on the anniversary of his excommunication, his throne should be considered vacant. At the same time invited Gregory to Augsburg to decide the conflict. Unable to oppose his princes and the pope together, Henry saw that he must secure absolution from Gregory before the period named. At first he attempted this through an embassy, but when Gregory rejected his overtures he went to Italy in person. The pope had already left Rome and had informed
10010-405: The blessed fire is brought to the countryside in the autonomous province of Bolzano . Bonfires are also lit in San Marco in Lamis , this time lit on a wheeled cart. In Florence , the use of sacred fire has changed over time: before the year one thousand candles were in fact brought into the houses which were lit by a candle which was, in turn, lit through a lens or a flint; at the beginning of
10153-402: The campaign against priestly marriage and that against simony provoked widespread resistance. His writings treat mainly of the principles and practice of Church government. They may be found in Mansi's collection under the title "Gregorii VII registri sive epistolarum libri". Most of his surviving letters are preserved in his Register, which is now stored in the Vatican Archives. Gregory VII
10296-528: The castle of Salerno by the sea, where he died on 25 May 1085. He was probably a prisoner of the Normans in Salerno. Three days before his death, he withdrew all the censures of excommunication that he had pronounced, except those against the two chief offenders—Henry and Guibert. In 1076, Gregory appointed Dol Euen, a monk of Saint-Melaine of Rennes, as bishop of Dol , rejecting both the incumbent, Iuthael, who had
10439-417: The citizens who began to recall it yearly. In the 18th century a mock steed replaced the animal and the fireworks were assembled upon it. Originally it was made of wood, and until 1932 it was carried on the shoulders of the most robust of citizens. Later it was considered more convenient to equip it with wheels and a rudder and have it towed by volunteers equipped with protective clothing and accessories. In 1994
10582-510: The city of Ripatransone in the Province of Ascoli Piceno . It is a fireworks show, which traditionally occurs eight days after Easter . The show goes back to 1682 when, on the occasion of celebrations in honor of the Virgin Mary , the local dwellers hire a pyrotechnician who, once the spectacle was over, took all his remaining fireworks and shot riding his horse. This extemporized action struck
10725-504: The clergy and laity to elect a new archbishop in place of the "mad" and "tyrannical" schismatic Wibert. In 1081, Henry opened the conflict against Gregory in Italy. The emperor was now in the stronger position, as thirteen cardinals had deserted the pope, and the rival emperor Rudolf of Swabia died on 16 October. A new imperial claimant, Hermann of Luxembourg , was put forward in August 1081, but he
10868-733: The consumption of eggs. Easter is a day of remembrance for the men and women who died in the Easter Rising which began on Easter Monday 1916. Until 1966, there was a parade of veterans, past the headquarters of the Irish Volunteers at the General Post Office (GPO) on O'Connell Street, Dublin, and a reading of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic . It is usually celebrated on Easter Monday. Easter in Italy ( Italian : Pasqua )
11011-515: The country, an Easter specialty known as sárgatúró (literally "yellow curd cheese") is made for the occasion. Easter was traditionally the most important date in the Christian calendar in Ireland, with a large feast marking the end of lent on Easter Sunday. Among the food commonly eaten were lamb , veal , and chicken , with a meal of corned beef , cabbage , and floury potatoes was a popular meal. It
11154-581: The cross , the wearing of Easter bonnets by women, clipping the church , and the decoration and the communal breaking of Easter eggs (a symbol of the empty tomb ). The Easter lily , a symbol of the resurrection in Christianity, traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day and for the rest of Eastertide . There are also traditional Easter foods that vary by region and culture. Many traditional Easter games and customs developed, such as egg rolling , egg tapping , and cascarones or confetti eggs . Egg hunting , originating in
11297-449: The day following Easter is called Locsoló Hétfő , " Watering Monday ". Men usually visit families with girls and women. Water, perfume or perfumed water is sprinkled on the women and girls of the house by the visiting men, who are given in exchange an Easter egg . Traditionally Easter ham, colored boiled eggs and horseradish sauce are consumed on Sunday morning. In the Eastern part of
11440-493: The detonation of small dynamites called "plakatzikia" in plural, and with gunshots in the air. Many central and eastern European ethnic groups, including the Albanians , Armenians , Belarusians , Bulgarians , Croats , Czechs , Estonians , Georgians , Hungarians , Latvians , Lithuanians , Macedonians , Poles , Romanians , Russians , Serbs , Slovaks , Slovenes , and Ukrainians , decorate eggs for Easter. In Bulgaria,
11583-512: The difference between the when the Eastern and Western Churches celebrate Easter (Fasika). Since the arrival of Christianity in Nigeria with the missionaries that came to the country from the early 1800s, Easter has been observed among the Christian population. Despite Malaysia being a Muslim majority country , Easter is celebrated in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia as there
11726-561: The election of Anselm of Lucca the Elder as Pope Alexander II in the papal election of October 1061 . The new pope put forward the reform program devised by Hildebrand and his followers. In his years as papal advisor, Hildebrand had an important role in the reconciliation with the Norman kingdom of southern Italy , in the anti-German alliance with the Pataria movement in northern Italy and, above all, in
11869-416: The emperor mortified his pride and abased himself in the snow to do penance before the pope. This immediately reversed the moral situation, forcing Gregory to grant Henry absolution. The Walk to Canossa soon became legendary. The reconciliation was only effected after prolonged negotiations and definite pledges on the part of Henry, and it was with reluctance that Gregory VII at length gave way, considering
12012-544: The excommunication and deposition of Henry on 7 March 1080. The papal censure now got a very different reception from the one four years before. It was widely felt to be unjustly pronounced on frivolous grounds, and its authority came in question. The emperor, now more experienced, vigorously denounced the ban as illegal. He summoned a council at Brixen , and on 25 June 1080 thirty bishops present pronounced Gregory deposed, electing archbishop Guibert (Wibert) of Ravenna as his successor. Gregory countered on 15 October, ordering
12155-407: The expected protection for the papacy. When Gregory VII was hard pressed by Henry IV, Robert Guiscard left him to his fate, and only intervened when he himself was threatened with German arms. Then, on the capture of Rome, he abandoned the city to his troops, and the popular indignation evoked by his act brought about Gregory's exile. In the case of several countries, Gregory VII tried to establish
12298-513: The faithful of either sex, after coming to the age of discretion, must receive at least at Easter the Sacrament of the Eucharist (unless by the advice of the parish priest they abstain for a while). Otherwise during life they are to be prevented from entering the church and when dead are to be denied Christian burial. The paschal precept is to be fulfilled in one's parish church. Although the precept of
12441-582: The first European universities. This battle for the foundation of papal supremacy is connected with his championship of compulsory celibacy among the clergy and his attack on simony . Gregory VII did not introduce the celibacy of the priesthood into the Church, but he took up the struggle with greater energy than his predecessors. In 1074, he published an encyclical , absolving the people from their obedience to bishops who allowed married priests. The next year he enjoined them to take action against married priests, and deprived these clerics of their revenues. Both
12584-621: The first Nicene Council; the Armenians call it the "second feast of the flowers", a repetition of Palm Sunday. By older liturgists the week before Pentecost is called "Hebdomada expectationis", week of the expectation of the Holy Ghost. On the Vigil of Pentecost the baptismal water is blessed in the Latin Church. In the Oriental Churches, that Saturday is the psychosabbaton (All Soul's Day), upon which
12727-659: The first Sunday in Lent to Trinity Sunday (II Plen. Coun. Balt., n. 257); in Canada the duration of the Paschal Tide is the same as in the United States. In England it lasts from Ash Wednesday until Low Sunday; in Ireland from Ash Wednesday until the octave of SS. Peter and Paul, 6 July. Paschal Tide is a season of joy. The liturgical color is white (and sometimes gold), which is the color designated for feasts and festivals. The Paschal candle
12870-568: The following years, balancing the two parties of fairly equal strength, each trying to gain the upper hand by getting the pope on their side. In the end, his non-commitment largely lost the confidence of both parties. Finally he decided for Rudolf of Swabia after his victory at the Battle of Flarchheim on 27 January 1080. Under pressure from the Saxons, and misinformed as to the significance of this battle, Gregory abandoned his waiting policy and again pronounced
13013-556: The holy Apostles and martyrs have their own commune from Easter to Pentecost. At Mass the Alleluia is added to the Introit, Offertory and Communion; in place of the Gradual two Alleluias are sung followed by two verses, each with an Alleluia; there is also a special Preface for Paschal Time. Paschal Tide was the period during which every member of the faithful who has attained the year of discretion
13156-407: The idea of searching for the empty tomb, is an activity that remains popular among children. Today Easter is commercially important, seeing wide sales of greeting cards and confectionery such as chocolate Easter eggs . There are a large number of traditional Easter games and customs in the Christian world . Many of these games incorporate Easter eggs , a symbol of the empty tomb . Of these
13299-479: The introduction of an ecclesiastic law which gave the cardinals exclusive rights concerning the election of a new pope. Pope Gregory VII was one of the few popes elected by acclamation . On the death of Alexander II on 21 April 1073, as the obsequies were being performed in the Lateran Basilica , there arose a loud outcry from the clergy and people: "Let Hildebrand be pope!", "Blessed Peter has chosen Hildebrand
13442-520: The latter promised to hand over Guibert as a prisoner, if the sovereign pontiff would only consent to crown him emperor. Gregory, however, insisted that Henry appear before a council and do penance. The emperor, while pretending to submit to these terms, tried hard to prevent the meeting of the council. A small number of bishops assembled nonetheless, and Gregory again excommunicated Henry. Henry, upon receipt of this news, again entered Rome on 21 March to see that his supporter, Archbishop Guibert of Ravenna,
13585-572: The main question between pope and emperor: that of investiture . A new conflict was inevitable. Obedience to the excommunication of Henry IV was used as a pretext to legitimize the rebellion of the German nobles, which did not end with his absolution. To the contrary, at Forchheim in March 1077 they elected a rival ruler in the person of Duke Rudolf of Swabia , with the papal legates declaring their neutrality. Pope Gregory sought to maintain this attitude during
13728-513: The matter of clerical appointments became a more and more contentious issue. He sought as well to compel the episcopacy to look to Rome for validation and direction, demanding the regular attendance of prelates in Rome. Gregory had no power to compel the English king to an alteration in his ecclesiastical policy, so he was compelled to ignore what he could not approve, and even considered it advisable to assure King William of his particular affection. On
13871-402: The mode of his election was highly criticized by his opponents. Many of the accusations against him may have been expressions of personal dislike, liable to suspicion from the very fact that they were not raised to attack his promotion until several years later. But it is clear from Gregory's own account of the circumstances of his election, in his Epistle 1 and Epistle 2, that it was conducted in
14014-465: The most well known, widespread and popular until the modern times are the egg rolling , egg hunt , egg tapping , and egg dance . Their rules may vary in different cultures and localities. At the same time, there exist less known peculiar customs. Nowadays child entertainers and kindergartens invent various new Easter games, often adapting well-known games to Easter topics, such as word puzzles involving Easter-related words. The holiday of Easter
14157-496: The neighbouring one). More than often this competition leads to fights happening over scraps of wood and the police or fire department being called to put out the fires that have gone out of control. It is customary for a small doll representing Judas Iscariot to be burnt. The same thing happens on Crete, but it is non-competitive, and the fire is called "founara" which means "big fire" in Cretan Greek . The founara burns coupled with
14300-453: The new canon law governing the election of the pope by the College of Cardinals . He was also at the forefront of developments in the relationship between the emperor and the papacy during the years before he became pope. He was the first pope to introduce a policy of obligatory celibacy for the clergy, which had until then commonly married, and also attacked the practice of simony . During
14443-725: The north of England, and Northern Ireland, the traditions of rolling decorated eggs down steep hills and pace egging are still adhered to. Strutt and Hone in their 1867 book The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England describe an Easter tradition from the Isles of Scilly called goose dancing . For goose dancing the maidens dress up as young men and vice versa. In this disguise they visit neighbours for dancing and making joke stories. Pope Gregory VII Pope Gregory VII ( Latin : Gregorius VII ; c. 1015 – 25 May 1085), born Hildebrand of Sovana ( Italian : Ildebrando di Soana ),
14586-656: The octave of Ascension is called "Exaudi" from the Introit; in some dioceses it is called Feast of Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles (double major) or of the Cenacle (first class); in Rome it was called Sunday of the Roses ("Pascha rosarum" or "rosatum"), since in the Pantheon rose-leaves were thrown from the rotunda into the church; in the Greek and Russian Churches it is the feast of the 318 Fathers of
14729-410: The people. It was debated, at the time and since, whether this extraordinary outburst in favour of Hildebrand by clergy and people was wholly spontaneous, or could have been pre-arranged. According to Benizo, Bishop of Sutri, a supporter of Hildebrand, the outcry was begun by Cardinal Ugo Candidus, Cardinal Priest of S. Clemente, who rushed into a pulpit and began to declaim to the people. Certainly,
14872-450: The political implications. If Gregory VII granted absolution, the diet of princes in Augsburg, which had called on him as arbitrator, would be rendered impotent. It was impossible, however, to deny the penitent re-entrance into the Church, and Gregory VII's Christian duty overrode his political interests. The removal of the ban did not imply a genuine settlement, as there was no mention of
15015-490: The power struggles between the papacy and the Empire , Gregory excommunicated Henry IV three times, and Henry appointed Antipope Clement III to oppose him. Though Gregory was hailed as one of the greatest of the Roman pontiffs after his reforms proved successful, during his own reign he was denounced by some for his autocratic use of papal powers. In later times, Gregory VII became an exemplar of papal supremacy , and his memory
15158-416: The princes against their feudal lord Henry. When at Whitsun the emperor summoned a council of nobles to oppose the pope, only a few responded. Meanwhile, the Saxons snatched the opportunity to renew their rebellion, and the anti-royalist party grew in strength from month to month. Henry now faced ruin. As a result of the agitation, which was zealously fostered by the papal legate Bishop Altmann of Passau ,
15301-501: The princes met in October at Trebur to elect a new German ruler. Henry, who was stationed at Oppenheim on the left bank of the Rhine , was only saved from the loss of his throne by the failure of the assembled princes to agree on his successor. Their dissension, however, merely postponed the verdict. Henry, they declared, must make reparation and obeisance to Gregory; and if he were still under
15444-594: The project of a great military expedition and exhorted the faithful to participate in recovering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre —foreshadowing the First Crusade . In his efforts to recruit for the expedition, he emphasized the suffering of eastern Christians, arguing western Christians had a moral obligation to go to their aid. His lifework was based on his conviction that the Church was founded by God and entrusted with
15587-784: The readers can try to figure out " Whodunnit ", and new detective novels are scheduled for publishing before Easter. Even the milk cartons are altered for a couple of weeks. Each Easter a new short mystery story is printed on their sides. Stores and businesses close for five straight days at Easter, with the exception of grocery stores, which re-open for a single day on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. In Sweden and Finland, traditions include egg painting and small children dressed as Easter witches ( påskkärring or in Finland påskhäxa , typically dressed as old folks) collecting candy door-to-door, in exchange for decorated hand-made greetings such as cards or pussy willows , called virvonta in Finland, which
15730-443: The relationship of spiritual and temporal powers, or when he prohibited him from commerce or commanded him to acknowledge himself a vassal of the apostolic chair. William was particularly annoyed at Gregory's insistence on dividing ecclesiastical England into two provinces, in opposition to William's need to emphasize the unity of his newly acquired kingdom. Gregory's increasing insistence on church independence from secular authority in
15873-404: The sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity. Eating lamb at Easter therefore commemorates the Death and Resurrection of Jesus . The egg is an ancient symbol of new life and rebirth. In Christianity it became associated with Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection. The custom of the Easter egg originated in the early Christian community of Mesopotamia , who stained eggs red in memory of
16016-681: The season runs up to the feast of Pentecost. In this rite, the following feasts are fixed to various days of the Season of Resurrection: The Second Sunday of Resurrection is also known as "New Sunday" or "St. Thomas Sunday". [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). " Paschal Tide ". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company. Eastertide customs Easter traditions (also known as Paschal traditions ) are customs and practices that are followed in various cultures and communities around
16159-521: The second Sunday after Easter terminated Paschal Tide, for which reason it was called "Predigerkirchweih", because the hard Easter labour was over, or "Buch Sunday", the obstinate sinners putting off the fulfillment of the precept to the last day. In the United States upon petition of the Fathers of the First Provincial Council of Baltimore Paschal Tide was extended by Pius VIII to the period from
16302-432: The spanked woman gives a coloured egg (kraslice) they've prepared by themselves as invitations to eat and drink and as a sign of her thanks to the man. If the visitor is a small boy, he is usually provided with sweets and a small amount of money. In some regions, the women can get revenge in the afternoon or the following day when they can pour a bucket of cold water on any man. The habit slightly varies across Slovakia and
16445-506: The support of William the Conqueror , who had recently been conducting military operations in north-eastern Brittany , and Gilduin, the candidate of the nobles in Dol opposing William. Gregory rejected Iuthael because he was notorious for simony and Guilden as too young. Gregory also bestowed on Dol Euen the pallium of a metropolitan archbishop, on the condition that he would submit to the judgment of
16588-491: The support of other Norman princes such as Landulf VI of Benevento and Richard I of Capua , Gregory VII was able to excommunicate Robert in 1074. In the same year Gregory VII summoned a council in the Lateran palace, which condemned simony and confirmed celibacy for the Church's clergy. These decrees were further stressed, under menace of excommunication, the next year (24–28 February). In particular, Gregory decreed that only
16731-597: The synod of Piacenza . Roland of Parma faced the pope with these decisions before the synod which had just assembled in the Lateran Basilica . For the moment the members were frightened, but there soon arose such a storm of indignation that only the calming words of Gregory saved the envoy's life. On the following day, 22 February 1076, Gregory solemnly pronounced a sentence of excommunication against Henry IV, divested him of his royal dignity, and absolved his subjects of their sworn allegiance. The effectiveness of this sentence depended entirely on Henry's subjects, above all on
16874-477: The task of embracing all mankind in a single society in which divine will is the only law; that, in its capacity as a divine institution, it is supreme over all human structures, especially the secular state; and that the pope, in his role as head of the Church, is the vice-regent of God on earth, so that disobedience to him implies disobedience to God: or, in other words, a defection from Christianity. But any attempt to interpret this in terms of action would have bound
17017-472: The three psalms are said under one antiphon . The Alleluia appears as an independent antiphon. An Alleluia is added to all the antiphons, responsories and versicles, except to the versicles of the preces at Prime and Compline . Instead of the "suffragia sanctorum" in the semidouble and ferial Offices, a commemoration of the Holy Cross is used. The iambic hymns have a special Easter doxology . The feasts of
17160-734: The tips of two eggs together. If a participant's egg shell cracks they have to forfeit it, a process that continues until just one egg remains. Venetia Newall describes egg eating competitions in Western Germany and among German emigrants to Pennsylvania , United States . As well as the common painted easter egg hunt, in Cyprus it is customary for people to light great fires (Greek: λαμπρατζια) in schools or church yards. The fires are made up of scrap wood, gathered usually by enthusiastic young boys which scour their neighbourhoods for them, in order to make their fire as great as it can be (and bigger than
17303-414: The tomb after three days, the third day being the Sunday when Ethiopian Easter is celebrated. Fasika is a climactic celebration. Fasting becomes more intense over the 55-day period of Lent for Orthodox Christians, Catholics and optionally for some Protestant denominations, when no meat or animal products of any kind, including milk and butter, are eaten. Good Friday starts off by church going, and
17446-495: The wake of the controversy created by Berengar of Tours . At Leo's death, the new pope, Victor II , confirmed him as legate, while Victor's successor Stephen IX sent him and Anselm of Lucca to Germany to obtain recognition from Empress Agnes . Stephen died before being able to return to Rome, but Hildebrand was successful; he was then instrumental in overcoming the crisis caused by the Roman aristocracy's election of an antipope, Benedict X , who, thanks also to Agnes's support,
17589-599: The whole, William's policy was of great benefit to the Church. The relationship of Gregory VII to other European states was strongly influenced by his German policy, since the Holy Roman Empire , by taking up most of his energies, often forced him to show to other rulers the very moderation which he withheld from the German king. The attitude of the Normans brought him a rude awakening. The great concessions made to them under Nicholas II were not only powerless to stem their advance into central Italy, but failed to secure even
17732-471: The widespread voluntary fire brigades are allowed to organize and stage them on open fields. Over the past years, Easter Fires themselves have become larger and developed to smaller versions of Volksfests with some snack stands selling Bratwurst , steak in bread rolls , beer, wine, and soft drinks as well as maybe one or two rides for the children. Usually, Easter Fires are kept burning over hours until dawn (roughly around 6 o'clock) and cause therefore
17875-604: The words of the Redeemer, substantially changed into the true and proper and lifegiving flesh and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, and that after the consecration they are the true body of Christ. This profession of faith began a "Eucharistic Renaissance" in the churches of Europe as of the 12th century. Pope Gregory VII died in exile in Salerno ; the epitaph on his sarcophagus in the city's Cathedral says: "I have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore, I die in exile." Gregory VII
18018-585: The work of reforming the Church. However, as soon as Henry defeated the Saxons at the First Battle of Langensalza on 9 June 1075 ( Battle of Homburg or Hohenburg ), he tried to reassert his sovereign rights in northern Italy. Henry sent Count Eberhard to Lombardy to combat the Patarenes ; nominated the cleric Tedald to the archbishopric of Milan , settling a prolonged and contentious question; and made overtures to
18161-516: The world to celebrate Easter (also known as Pascha or Resurrection Sunday ), which is the central feast in Christianity , commemorating the resurrection of Jesus . The Easter season is seen as a time of celebration and feasting, in contrast to the antecedent season of Lent , which is a time of penitence and fasting. Easter traditions include sunrise services or late-night vigils , exclamations and exchanges of Paschal greetings , flowering
18304-443: Was Bishop Hugh de Dié , who afterwards became Archbishop of Lyon . Philip I of France , by his practice of simony and the violence of his proceedings against the Church, provoked a threat of summary measures. Excommunication, deposition and the interdict appeared to be imminent in 1074. Gregory, however, refrained from translating his threats into actions, although the attitude of the king showed no change, for he wished to avoid
18447-521: Was abolished in 1955, it was called Sunday after the Ascension. Pentecost was followed by an octave, which some reckoned as part of Eastertide. When the Anglican and Lutheran churches implemented their own calendar and lectionary reforms in 1976, they adopted the same shortened definition of the Easter season as the Roman Catholic Church had promulgated six years earlier. In the Church of England ,
18590-584: Was also called Misericordia Sunday and Good Shepherd Sunday in Western Christianity. Subsequent to modern liturgical reforms, these names are often applied to the Fourth Sunday instead. In Greek Orthodoxy, this day is called the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers. Traditionally, the Fourth Sunday of Easter was also called Jubilate Sunday in Western Christianity. Subsequent to modern liturgical reforms, this name
18733-579: Was bound by the positive law of the Church to receive Holy Communion (Easter duty). During the early Middle Ages from the time of the Synod of Agde (508), it was customary to receive Holy Communion at least three times a year—Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. A positive precept was issued by the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) and confirmed by the Council of Trent (Sess. XIII, can. ix). According to these decrees
18876-400: Was enthroned as Pope Clement III on 24 March 1084, who in turn crowned Henry as emperor. In the meantime Gregory had formed an alliance with Robert Guiscard , who marched on the city and compelled Henry to flee towards Civita Castellana . The pope was liberated, but after the Roman people became incensed by the excesses of his Norman allies, again withdrew to Monte Cassino , and later to
19019-633: Was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 April 1073 to his death in 1085. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church . One of the great reforming popes, he initiated the Gregorian Reform , and is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy , his dispute with Emperor Henry IV to establish the primacy of papal authority and
19162-675: Was invoked both positively and negatively, reflecting later writers' attitude to the Catholic Church and the papacy. Beno of Santi Martino e Silvestro , who opposed Gregory VII in the Investiture Controversy, accused him of necromancy, cruelty, tyranny, and blasphemy. This was eagerly repeated by later opponents of the Catholic Church, such as the English Protestant John Foxe . In contrast, the modern historian and Anglican priest H. E. J. Cowdrey writes, "[Gregory VII]
19305-691: Was particularly concerned with the East. The schism between Rome and the Byzantine Empire was a severe blow to him, and he worked hard to restore the former amicable relationship. Gregory successfully tried to get in touch with the emperor Michael VII . When the news of the Muslim attacks on the Christians in the East filtered through to Rome, and the political embarrassments of the Byzantine emperor increased, he conceived
19448-424: Was released the following day. The high-handed demands and threats of the pope infuriated Henry and his court, and their answer was the hastily convened national synod of Worms on 24 January 1076. In the higher ranks of the German clergy, Gregory had many enemies, and the Roman cardinal Hugo Candidus , once on intimate terms with Gregory but now his opponent, hurried to Germany for the occasion. Candidus declaimed
19591-456: Was replaced by the Bishop of Florence , Nicholas II . With the help of 300 Norman knights sent by Richard of Aversa , Hildebrand personally led the conquest of the castle of Galeria Antica where Benedict had taken refuge. Between 1058 and 1059, he was made archdeacon of the Roman church, becoming the most important figure in the papal administration. He was again the most powerful figure behind
19734-430: Was restricted to Easter Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. By Angelo da Chiavasso it was defined as the period from Maundy Thursday to Low Sunday. Eugene IV , 8 July 1440, authoritatively interpreted it to mean the two weeks between Palm and Low Sundays. In later centuries the time has been variously extended: at Naples from Palm Sunday to Ascension; at Palermo from Ash Wednesday to Low Sunday. In Germany, at an early date,
19877-527: Was seen by Pope Paul VI as instrumental in affirming the tenet that Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament . Gregory's demand that Berengarius perform a confession of this belief was quoted in Pope Paul VI's historic 1965 encyclical Mysterium fidei : I believe in my heart and openly profess that the bread and wine that are placed on the altar are, through the mystery of the sacred prayer and
20020-400: Was surprisingly flexible, feeling his way and therefore perplexing both rigorous collaborators ... and cautious and steady-minded ones ... His zeal, moral force, and religious conviction, however, ensured that he should retain to a remarkable degree the loyalty and service of a wide variety of men and women." Gregory was born Hildebrand ( Italian : Ildebrando ) in the town of Sovana , in
20163-567: Was then confirmed by a second election at S. Pietro in Vincoli. Gregory VII's earliest pontifical letters clearly acknowledged these events, and thus helped defuse doubts about his election and popularity. On 22 May 1073, the Feast of Pentecost , he received ordination as a priest , and he was consecrated a bishop and enthroned as pope on 29 June, the Feast of St. Peter's Chair. In the decree of election, his electors proclaimed Gregory VII: "a devout man,
20306-458: Was traditional for farmers to share the meat from a slaughtered bullock or lamb with neighbours and or the less fortunate. Another tradition was that if a beggar called to a house, they would be given roasted potatoes. At this time of year, eggs were plentiful, and would be eaten at each meal. Eggs were dyed for good luck, using a variety of methods such as boiling them with certain lichens and plants. The coloured eggshells would be kept to decorate
20449-596: Was unable to rally the papal party in Germany, and the power of Henry IV was at its peak. The pope's chief military supporter, Matilda of Tuscany , blocked Henry's armies from the western passages over the Apennines , so he had to approach Rome from Ravenna . Rome surrendered to the German king in 1084, and Gregory thereupon retired into the exile of the Castel Sant'Angelo . Gregory refused to entertain Henry's overtures, although
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