All the other holy days of the seven weeks of Easter observances that the traditional churches still follow were made up during the fourth century AD. Some independent evangelical churches, like Richmond Park Church, choose not to stringently follow traditions that were made up by the fourth century church, but which are not spelled out in the Bible. There is nothing inherently wrong with these traditions, as they are all designed to point people in the direction of the example and life of Jesus, but neither is it compulsory to observe these created "holy days" to be a faithful Christian.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

At a meeting of church leaders -called the Council of Nicaea- in 325 AD to try to coordinate practise it was decided that Easter was to be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon that directly followed the Vernal (or Spring) Equinox. In most years this would coincide with Passover, but it would not always be so. The Eastern Churches still retained the earlier Passover practice for several centuries, and the British (Celtic) Church did not adopt the Roman calendar until Roman missionaries arrived in the sixth century.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

From Passover to Easter

You won't find any references about how to celebrate Easter in the Bible! The Bible only instructs us to observe communion in rememberance of Jesus death, and we don't know how the early Christians chose to commemorate the resurrection. We do know that by the second century AD some Christians were celebrating it Passover-style (mainly the Eastern church), and some celebrated on the Sunday after Passover as a distinctly seperate event (mainly the Roman church).

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Some Christians, particularly Messianic Jews (ie. Jews who have become Christians), celebrate "Easter" by observing the actual Passover meal ("the Seder" or "Haggadah" or "Last Supper"), drawing out the references to Jesus in this Old Testament festival.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

3) The First Fruits. The resurrection of Jesus happened as the priests were presenting an offering of the first sheaf of the newly ripened barley harvest. Jesus was the first fruits from the grave.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

2) The Four Cups. In the Passover there are four cups of wine to drink, two before the meal and two after the meal. These are to remember the events of Exodus 6:6-7: I will bring you out; I will free you; I will redeem you; and I will take you as my people. These are things Jesus also promised.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

1) The Lamb. Jesus chose to be the lamb without defect that was sacrificed for our sins, in the same way that the Israelites had had to kill a lamb per family for God to save their lives (1Corinthians 5:7).

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.