With over 2 billion believers, Christianity is by far the most commonly practised religion in the world. The Christian religion is based on ideas about Jesus Christ's birth, life, crucifixion, and resurrection.
While Christian religion began with a tiny number of followers, many historians consider the growth and acceptance of Christianity around the globe to be among the greatest successful spiritual endeavours in the history of humanity.
Like every other religion, Christianity also has several celebrations and festivals to look out for. In this article, we will discuss some of the most commonly celebrated festivals of Christianity.
1. Advent Sunday
The Christian year begins with Advent Sunday and occurs four Sundays preceding Christmas in the Western churches. The Advent season will last till the day of Christmas.
The term advent means "coming," and the major subject of the Advent season is planning for the arrival of Jesus and preparations for the birthday of Jesus.
2. Christmas
The 25th of December is when Western Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, who Christians believe to be both the Messiah (or in Greek: the Christ) and son of God (that is, divine). Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate the birth on the 7th of January.
Jesus' birth or 'nativity' is described in the Bible, in the New Testament Gospels of Matthew and Luke. There is disagreement among Christians about the status of the accounts, some regarding them as describing theological truths but not historical ones. The Gospels do not mention the date of Jesus' birth which the Pope set.
People celebrate Christmas by decorating their houses in full swing, and you can do it too by buying decorative stuff from
Holyart, an Italian Christian website. You can buy nativity figurines to remember the essence of the birth of Jesus and other statues that signify the birth of baby Jesus. Christmas celebrations today incorporate Christian, Pagan, and folk customs, and many Christians and non-Christians are concerned about its commercialization.
3. Easter
Easter, also known as Easter Sunday, celebrates the resurrection of Jesus as the Christ-following his crucifixion on the Friday preceding Easter. His followers began to have a new feeling of Christ being with them.
Easter eggs are distributed to represent the new life that Christians feel and perceive at the centre of God's universe.
4. Good Friday
The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, whom Christians say to be the Messiah and whose lifestyle and beliefs form the foundation of the Christian religion, are the most significant moments in Christianity. Good Friday celebrates the crucifixion of Jesus and is termed "Good" due to the example of Jesus and selfless love in offering his blood for the redemption of humanity. Christians reflect on Jesus' pain and misery, and processions and re-enactments of the crucifixion are occasionally held.
5. Epiphany
The three wise men's arrival to Jesus shortly after his birth and their eventual propagation of his birth information across the globe is known as Epiphany.
6. Lent
Lent is the 40-day time preceding Easter honouring Jesus' fasting and prayer in the wilderness. It is a period for introspection and self-development by praying, fasting, and studying.
7. Holy Week
It is the final week of Jesus' life, with Palm Sunday commemorating his successful entry into Israel just a week before he was sadly crucified; Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper with the apostles; and Good Friday commemorating the day Christ was crucified on a crucifix, which is the most recognised Christian belief.