Millions of Christians across Dallas-Fort Worth and the United States will gather for worship services, family meals, and sunrise observances on Sunday, April 5, 2026, to mark Easter, the central feast of the Christian faith.
The holiday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion, an event Christians believe defeated death and offers the promise of eternal life to believers.
Easter concludes Holy Week, which includes Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Last Supper; Good Friday, marking the crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, the transition to the resurrection.
Churches in North Texas, like many Protestant and Catholic congregations nationwide, will hold special liturgies, often featuring the lighting of the Paschal candle and readings from the Gospels that recount the empty tomb.
The Meaning of Easter
For Christians, Easter is not merely a spring festival but the joyful affirmation that Jesus rose from the dead, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies and providing the foundation of salvation.
As the New Testament records in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, women discovered the empty tomb at dawn on the first day of the week, and Jesus appeared to his disciples in a transformed yet physical body.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead three days after His crucifixion — the central event of the Christian faith that affirms His victory over sin and death and provides believers with the hope of eternal life.
Evangelist Billy Graham once stated, “Without the resurrection, the cross is meaningless.”
Hope for Those Struggling
In times of personal struggle, grief, or uncertainty, the message of Easter brings lasting hope to countless believers.
The Apostle Paul declares in Romans 6:4-5, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
He adds in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Jesus Himself proclaimed, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).
Charles Spurgeon, the renowned 19th-century preacher, encouraged believers with these words: “Have confidence in the risen One, and live in the power of his resurrection.”
This Easter, believers facing hardship are invited to lean fully into Christ. Because He is risen, Christians believe that they too are risen with Him and made anew — given fresh hope, renewed strength, and the promise of eternal life in Him.
Historical Timeline
The roots of Easter trace directly to events in Jerusalem around A.D. 30–33, when Jesus was crucified during the Jewish festival of Passover. Early Christians, many of them Jewish, linked his death and resurrection to the Passover lamb and began commemorating the resurrection soon after. The earliest recorded observance of a distinct Easter celebration dates to the second century.
Disputes arose over the date. Christians in Asia Minor observed it in line with the 14th of Nisan on the Jewish calendar, while Western churches emphasized Sunday, the day of the week Jesus rose. The controversy was resolved at the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325, which decreed Easter should fall on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox (March 21). This places the holiday between March 22 and April 25 in the Gregorian calendar used by Western churches.
Eastern Orthodox churches continue to follow the Julian calendar, often resulting in a later date—April 12 in 2026—and maintain the tradition that Easter does not precede or coincide with Passover.
Observances in Different Cultures and Denominations
While the core message remains the same, Easter observances reflect regional and denominational traditions that emphasize faith, family, and renewal.
In the United States, many Protestant churches, including those in Texas, hold outdoor sunrise services to reflect the Gospel accounts of the women arriving at the tomb. Families often participate in egg hunts and share baskets, with eggs symbolizing new life emerging from the sealed tomb of Christ—a custom traced to early Christian practices dating back to the 13th century.
In Eastern Orthodox communities worldwide, including parishes in Dallas, the Great Vigil features dramatic processions and the exchange of the greeting “Christ is risen!” accompanied by the cracking of red-dyed eggs. The red color represents the blood of Christ, while the egg itself recalls the empty tomb from which he emerged.
In Italy and other parts of Europe with a strong Catholic heritage, families gather for festive meals featuring traditional breads like the colomba pasquale (Easter dove cake), share decorated eggs, and attend solemn Holy Week processions that culminate in joyful Easter Sunday Masses. Spanish celebrations often include elaborate religious processions during Holy Week, drawing entire communities into public expressions of faith.
In Australia and New Zealand, where Easter falls in autumn, Christians enjoy hot cross buns and church services, with some families opting for the native bilby—a long-eared marsupial—instead of the bunny as a nod to local wildlife while preserving the spirit of renewal and family celebration. Across Africa, churches adorn sanctuaries with flowers and butterflies, hosting vibrant services that highlight themes of resurrection and new creation.
The late Pope John Paul II captured the uplifting essence shared by Christians everywhere when he declared, “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” Pope Francis has echoed this in recent messages, stating, “Christ is risen! These words capture the whole meaning of our existence, for we were not made for death but for life.”
Whether in quiet family gatherings in Dallas suburbs or grand cathedrals abroad, Easter Sunday unites believers in gratitude for the resurrection—the event that transformed history and continues to inspire hope, community, and faith across cultures.
