Observation of Easter & Holy Week (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Religious reasons for observing Easter and Holy Week

• Holy Week is the most important week of the Christian year

  • It remembers the events leading up to Jesus’s death and resurrection

• Each day is marked by symbolic actions with religious meaning

  • These help Christians reflect on Jesus’s sacrifice and the hope of new life through the resurrection

• Christians observe each of the events of Holy Week to walk in Jesus’s footsteps

  • They remember Jesus’s actions, reflect on his suffering and celebrate his resurrection

  • These are central events to the Christian faith

Palm Sunday 

• Origin: Palm Sunday commemorates the day Jesus entered Jerusalem, riding a donkey (as foretold in Scripture), and people welcomed him by waving palm branches and shouting praise

• Purpose of Palm Sunday: 

  • Marks the start of Holy Week

  • Celebrates Jesus as the Messiah

  • Prepares Christians spiritually to commemorate the solemn events that will follow

• Symbolism of Palm Sunday:

  • Palm branches represent joy and victory

  • The donkey signifies that Jesus came in peace and humility

  • Palm crosses given to believers remind them of Jesus’s journey to the cross

  • Processions symbolise the acceptance of Jesus as the Saviour

Maundy Thursday

• Origin: Maundy Thursday remembers the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples before his arrest. At this meal, Jesus blessed bread and wine, saying they were his body and blood

• Purpose of Maundy Thursday: 

  • Celebrates the institution of the Eucharist (Holy Communion)

  • Reflects on Jesus’s command to love and serve others

  • Allows Christians to spend time in prayer and meditation as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane

• Symbolism of Maundy Thursday: 

  • The bread and wine symbolise Jesus’s body and blood, offered as a sacrifice on the cross

  • Foot washing is a symbol of humility and service

  • Silent prayer and reflection symbolise Jesus's time in the Garden of Gethsemane before his arrest

Good Friday

• Origin: Good Friday marks the day Jesus was crucified and died on the cross

• Purpose of Good Friday:

  • A day of mourning and reflection on Jesus’s suffering and sacrifice for humanity’s sins

• Symbolism of Good Friday:

  • The cross or crucifix represents Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross

  • Stripped altars and silence symbolise grief and loss

  • Stations of the Cross mark each stage on Jesus’s journey to the cross

  • The service at 3:00 pm marks the moment of Jesus’s death

  • Fasting is a symbol of mourning and joining in the sacrifice of Jesus

  • Hot cross buns feature the symbol of the cross, representing Jesus’s death

Holy Saturday

• Origin: Holy Saturday remembers the time between Jesus’s death and his resurrection “on the third day” when he was in the tomb

• Purpose of Holy Saturday:

  • A day of stillness and reflection before the joy of Easter

  • Marks the apostles’ wait between Jesus’s death and resurrection

• Symbolism of Holy Saturday:

  • The darkness is a sign of death and grief

  • Quiet prayer in churches represents the waiting period for the resurrection

  • The Paschal candle at the Easter Vigil services in Catholic and Anglican Churches represents Christ’s resurrection and light overcoming darkness

Easter Sunday

• Origin: Easter Sunday celebrates Jesus rising from the dead, three days after his crucifixion

• Purpose of Easter Sunday:

  • It is the most joyful and important day for Christians

  • It confirms their belief in life after death and proves that the prophecies were true and that Jesus was truly the Son of God

• Symbolism of Easter Sunday:

  • The lighted candles, including the Paschal candle, show that Christ has risen

  • The empty tomb shows Jesus’s victory over death

  • Easter eggs are a symbol of new life

Social significance of observing Easter and Holy Week 

• Easter and Holy Week are not only deeply religious events but also have strong social significance for the faith community and beyond

Uniting the community

• The worship shared during Holy Week unites Christians

• The services, vigils, prayer and processions give people the chance to come together as a faith community

• Ecumenical (multidenominational) events, such as Good Friday walks, bring different Christian groups together

  • This promotes unity and cooperation among all Christians

Acts of service and charity

• Many churches use Holy Week as a time to carry out acts of charity

• This is inspired by Jesus’s teaching at the Last Supper to love and serve others, which he demonstrated by washing his disciples’ feet

• Christians often take part in food drives, community meals and support for the poor or lonely

• These actions demonstrate Christian compassion and love and can have a real impact on local communities

  • In the Church of England, the King gives out special coins called Maundy money to the elderly

  • In the Catholic Church, the Pope washes people’s feet on Maundy Thursday, an act of service just as Jesus did

Family and cultural traditions

• Easter is a time when families come together, often for a shared meal or celebration after Lent

• Schools and workplaces close for Good Friday and Easter Monday, showing the festival’s social significance in the UK

• Many families follow special rituals during Holy Week and Easter, strengthening their bonds. For example:

  • Giving and receiving Easter eggs

  • Taking part in Easter egg hunts

  • Eating hot cross buns

  • Attending church as a family

  • Making or displaying palm crosses or Easter crafts

• All of these experiences create shared memories and have a cultural impact, even among people who do not consider themselves religious

Reflection and renewal

• Holy Week and Easter encourage personal reflection and time away from everyday pressures

• Attending services, taking part in vigils or even walking in a procession can give people space for peace, thought and emotional healing

• For some people, fasting or giving something up for Lent builds self-discipline and helps people break bad habits and make a fresh start

Different ways of observing Easter and Holy Week

• All Christian churches observe Easter and Holy Week to mark their common belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus

• However, the rituals, traditions and style of worship can vary between Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox and Protestant churches

Catholic Church

• Holy Week in the Catholic Church is marked by highly structured and symbolic services on each key day 

• Palm Sunday: This day features processions with palm branches and readings from the Gospels

• Maundy Thursday: There is an evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper with foot-washing ceremony, followed by a period of silent prayer

• Good Friday: On this day, the altar is stripped bare. There is a sombre tone to all commemorations. No Mass is celebrated. Instead, there is a 3:00 pm liturgy to mark the time of Jesus’s death and a Stations of the Cross procession

• Holy Saturday: The Easter Vigil Mass begins in darkness, before the lighting of the Paschal candle. This is the first celebration of the resurrection, and baptisms may take place

• Easter Sunday: Joyful Mass with hymns, flowers and the Paschal candle

Anglican Church (Church of England)

• Palm Sunday: Similar to Catholic practice

  • There may also be a procession

• Maundy Thursday: Holy Communion with optional foot-washing ceremony

  • Some churches have a vigil or time of quiet prayer afterwards

• Good Friday: May include a three-hour service or a joint walk of witness with other churches

• Holy Saturday: The Easter Vigil is celebrated in many Anglican churches, including the lighting of the Paschal candle

• Easter Sunday: A service of celebration with Holy Communion, joyful hymns and decorations

Orthodox Church

• Holy Week services may be held at different dates to other Christian Churches, since the Orthodox Churches follow a different calendar (the Julian calendar)

• Palm Sunday: Processions are held with palm branches 

  • This is the start of a period of intense prayer and fasting

• Maundy Thursday: Focus on the Last Supper and foot-washing ceremony

  • Services are long and feature chanting and incense

• Good Friday: Some Orthodox churches begin observing Holy Friday on Thursday night

  • The main feature of the liturgy is the account of Jesus Christ’s passion

  • Other churches have a Good Friday service

  • Many Orthodox Christians observe a strict fast 

• Holy Saturday: The Orthodox Church commemorates the burial of Christ and his descent into hell

  • The Vigil Service begins in nightfall and lasts until daybreak

  • The priest proclaims, “Christ is risen!” and worshippers respond, “He is risen indeed!”

• Easter Sunday: The liturgy runs from Saturday night to Sunday morning

  • Candles, bells and chanting all mark the joy of the resurrection

Protestant Churches (e.g. Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal)

• Holy Week services are more flexible and vary between denominations and different individual churches

• Palm Sunday: Services include Bible readings

  • While there may possibly be palm crosses, these services may be more low-key than in Catholic and Anglican churches

• Maundy Thursday: Some churches hold Communion services 

  • A few may include foot washing

• Good Friday: Services and prayers are held to reflect on Jesus’s death

  • These may include drama or music or be part of ecumenical services shared with other churches

• Holy Saturday: Not widely observed in some Protestant churches

  • Some hold Easter vigils or prayer meetings

• Easter Sunday: This is the main focus of the week

  • Services are often joyful and may include baptism, music, testimonies and preaching about the resurrection.