1. What do we celebrate on Easter Sunday?

Easter Sunday, also called Easter Sunday, is the culmination of the Easter Triduum and the most solemn day for Christians. We celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central event of the Christian faith. As Saint Paul teaches: “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor 15:14). This day is the foundation of all Christian hope: Christ’s victory over sin and death opens the gates of Heaven to humanity.

2. Why do we celebrate it?

The Resurrection of Christ is the definitive sign of God’s love. Jesus Christ, true God and true man, suffered passion and death on the cross to redeem us, and by rising again, he conquered death. With his resurrection, he has given us new life: a life that does not end in the grave, but is called to eternity. The liturgy of this day is filled with joy, light, and song: Christ is risen! He is truly risen!

3. A Brief History of Easter Sunday

Since the earliest centuries of Christianity, the faithful celebrated each Sunday as a small “Lord’s Day,” commemorating the Resurrection. But, it was in the annual Easter celebration that the Church concentrated the full power of this event. As early as the second century, the Easter Vigil was celebrated on the night before Easter Sunday. This tradition, vigorously restored after the Second Vatican Council, remains the most important liturgical celebration of the year, where the Paschal candle is lit as a symbol of the Risen Christ, the readings from salvation history are proclaimed, and the Eucharist is solemnly celebrated.

4. Liturgical Elements of the Day

Alleluia: After the penitential silence of Lent, the “Alleluia” is sung again, an expression of Paschal joy.

Paschal Candle: Lit at the Vigil, it remains in the sanctuary as a sign of the living Christ.

Renewal of Baptismal Promises: During Mass, we are invited to renew our “yes” to the Lord and our rejection of sin.

Liturgical Color: White, symbol of joy, light, and victory.

5. Prayers for this Day

We share some traditional prayers to pray with your family or personally:

Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Resurrection:
Lord Jesus, you who have conquered death and risen gloriously from the tomb,
we praise and thank you.
Thank you for opening the way to eternal life for us.
Make us witnesses of your Resurrection with our lives,
and may we never lose the hope born of your victory. Amen.

Easter Sequence (excerpt):
Death and life faced each other in a wonderful duel:
the King of life was dead,
and now lives and reigns.
Tell us, Mary, what did you see along the way?
I have seen the tomb of the living Christ
and the glory of the Risen One.
Christ, my hope, is risen!

6. Living Easter Sunday Today

Beyond the liturgical celebration, Easter Sunday is an invitation to renew Christian faith and joy. It is a day to live as a family, share hope, and transmit the light of Christ to others. As Pope Francis said: “Christ is risen! Let us not be afraid to live as resurrected people! Let us bring the light of the Resurrection to the darkness of the world!”

Easter Sunday is not only the end of Holy Week, but also the beginning of a new life. On this day, the certainty shines that evil and death do not have the last word. Christ lives, and with Him, we are all called to Eternal Life. Happy Easter!