A Historical Account of How Easter Became a Holiday Around 180 AD - Told by Irenaeus of Lyons

(A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT) Unifying the Paschal Feast and Celebrating Christ’s Resurrection with All People (Christian, Jew, Pagan, and Atheists) - Told by Irenaeus of Lyons

As I stand before you, my name is Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, and I seek to explain why the celebration of the Paschal Feast, which later evolved into what we now call Easter, became such a central part of Christian worship. I lived in a time when the Christian faith was spreading far and wide, and there were great divisions regarding the way we observed Christ’s death and resurrection. It was my belief that unity in this matter was vital for the growth of the Church and the spreading of the Gospel. Let me take you through the journey of why this celebration became so important to the life of the early Christians.

The Importance of the Paschal Feast and the Resurrection

The Paschal Feast had always been deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. The Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) commemorated the Israelites’ liberation from Egypt and was observed with the sacrifice of a lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. For the early Christians, this festival held significant meaning, for it was during the Passover that Christ himself was crucified, and it was by his resurrection that death was conquered and new life offered. As followers of Christ, it seemed only right that we too would observe a feast that celebrated the very event of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus was the ultimate Pascha—the true fulfillment of the Passover.

However, early Christians found themselves in disagreement about the timing of this celebration. Some Christians, particularly in the East, followed the Jewish tradition of celebrating the Paschal feast on the 14th of Nisan (the day of the Jewish Passover), while others, especially in the West, chose to celebrate it on Sunday, the day Christ had risen. I saw this division as a hindrance to the unity of the Church, and I believed it was important to come together as one in the observance of Christ's resurrection. The timing of the feast should not be something that divides us but something that unites all Christians in the shared hope of Christ’s triumph over death.

The Need for Unity and the Role of the Council of Nicaea

To bring about unity, it became clear that we needed a clear, agreed-upon date to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The division between the Eastern and Western Christians over the Paschal feast was not just a theological matter—it was a practical issue that hindered the mission of the Church. The spread of the Gospel was paramount, and how could we expect to reach others if we were divided on such an important celebration? It was time to standardize the celebration of Easter, to mark the resurrection of Christ in a way that was consistent for all Christians, regardless of their geographic location.

The Council of Nicaea, convened in 325 AD under the Emperor Constantine, played a decisive role in addressing this issue. We gathered, bishops from across the Christian world, to resolve many questions, including the question of when to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. After much discussion and prayer, we settled on the following: Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. This meant that the date of Easter would vary each year, but it would always be close to the Jewish Passover while also being separate from it. This decision was pivotal because it allowed us to honor the resurrection of Jesus, independent of the Jewish calendar, while still acknowledging its roots in the Passover event.

The Impact on Missionary Work and the Conversion of Pagans

This decision also had a significant impact on our missionary efforts. As we spread the Christian faith to the pagan peoples, we needed to find ways to make the message of Christ relatable and accessible. The celebration of Easter, with its emphasis on renewal, life, and rebirth, became a bridge for many who had previously celebrated pagan spring festivals that honored fertility, renewal, and the rebirth of nature. These festivals, celebrating the goddesses of spring and the return of life after winter, were often marked by feasts, rituals, and symbols like eggs, which also symbolized new life.

By celebrating Easter around the same time as these spring festivals, we were able to offer a Christian alternative to these pagan rituals, giving them new meaning. The resurrection of Christ, a triumphant and joyful occasion, was now framed as the ultimate spring festival—the ultimate celebration of new life. By aligning our Paschal feast with this time of year, we allowed the pagans to see the Christian message in a familiar context, making the transition to Christianity more appealing and less alien to them.

As Christianity grew, this unifying date for the resurrection of Christ became more than just a religious observance; it became a cultural marker. People from all walks of life, whether Christian, converted from paganism, or even atheists, were invited to join in the celebration of Christ’s victory over death, a victory that offered hope and renewal to all.

Unity Through the Resurrection of Christ

The decision to standardize the celebration of Easter was not just about unifying the Church in the observance of Christ’s resurrection; it was about using that unity to spread the Gospel more effectively to all corners of the world. The resurrection was, and still is, the heart of Christianity—the reason we believe in the promise of eternal life. By bringing all Christians together in this shared celebration, we were able to strengthen our faith and proclaim to the world that Christ has risen, bringing new life to all who believe. Through the work of the Church, the message of the resurrection reached the Pagans, Jews, Atheists, and Easter became a celebration for all—Christians and everyone alike—of the new life found in Christ's victory over sin and death, and the rebirth of Spring. Everyone is able to celebrate and enjoy a day of reflection.