Crucifixion
Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar. It celebrates God raising his son, Jesus, from the dead, which for Christians symbolises Jesus鈥 destruction of the power of sin and the possibility of an afterlife in A physical place, or a state of mind, associated with God and the afterlife.. Christians remember the events of the last week of Jesus鈥 life (before his Roman method of execution by nailing someone to a cross, often until they die of asphyxiation; used on Jesus and many others.) during For Christians, the week before Easter Sunday that recalls the suffering and death of Jesus.. Holy Week ends with For Christians, the day on which Jesus rose from the dead., which is the day when Christians celebrate Jesus鈥 The Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. The rising from the dead of believers on the Last Day in a new, or risen, life..
Jesus鈥 crucifixion
The The teachings of Jesus and the apostles. of Mark (15:21鈥41) describes the events of Jesus鈥 crucifixion:
- Jesus is forced to carry his cross to Golgotha, the place of his crucifixion, but Simon of Cyrene, a passer-by, is made to carry it when Jesus becomes exhausted.
- At Golgotha, Jesus is offered wine mixed with A plant resin used in perfume, incense and medicine. to reduce his discomfort but he does not take it.
- The soldiers take his clothes and gamble to decide who gets what.
- Jesus is crucified in the morning alongside two criminals, who are nailed to crosses either side of him. Many passers-by insult and mock Jesus.
- At noon, darkness settles over the land. Then, at three o鈥檆lock in the afternoon, Jesus cries out, 鈥淓loi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?鈥, meaning
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
- At the moment of Jesus鈥 death, the curtain of the The central place of Jewish worship in Jerusalem from biblical times until AD70. rips in two from top to bottom. A Roman soldier who witnesses Jesus鈥 death exclaims,
Surely this man was the Son of God!
Interpretations of the Easter story
Most A group within a religion. Christian denominations include, for example, Roman Catholic and Anglican denominations. of Christianity teach that Jesus鈥 crucifixion happened just as described in the Bible. The crucifixion is important for Christians who believe that God sacrificed Jesus, his only son, to A person atones when they show they are sorry for doing something wrong. for the sins of humanity. For some A very broad and diverse church that welcomes members of different faiths outside Christianity. Unitarianism rejects the idea of a Trinity, believing instead that God is one entity. and Members of the Religious Society of Friends. Christians who not believe that Jesus was the son of God, the crucifixion is not of significance. For these Christians, the Eucharist, which celebrates Jesus鈥 crucifixion, is not a feature of their worship.