Easter Monday Meaning: Why Do Christians Celebrate It?

Easter Monday is the day right after Easter Sunday, the Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although it is not a federal holiday in the U.S. and is generally not observed on a nationwide level, Easter Monday is still celebrated in various parts of the world, including England, Wales and Northern Ireland, where it is a bank holiday.

Easter Monday, which falls on April 5 this year, has religious significance for Christians as it follows the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, per The Scotsman. While Easter Sunday is considered a celebration on its own, it is during Easter Monday when other activities are held to commemorate the life of Jesus before he ascended into heaven.

It is the Christian belief that Jesus died after his crucifixion, which is now commemorated on Good Friday, and was resurrected three days later on what is now celebrated as Easter Sunday.

After his resurrection, Jesus is believed to have stayed on Earth for 40 days before he ascended into heaven. And during this time, he appeared to believers and gave ministry, according to The Scotsman.

Jesus healed the sick during his final days on Earth, reportedly helping to establish the church.

Various cultures commemorate Easter Monday more solemnly by means of outdoor processions, while others, such as the U.S., take on a more celebratory approach toward the event by holding egg-rolling races.

Dating back to 1878, the White House Easter Egg Roll is held each year on the South Lawn on Easter Monday for children, age 13 and younger, and their parents. The children would push an egg through the grass with a long-handled spoon.

Other activities include appearances by White House personalities in Easter Bunny costumes and speeches and book-reading by cabinet secretaries.

The White House also has an Easter tradition where states across the country send in artistically decorated eggs for a display, according to TimeAndDate.com. The artists would vote among themselves to select the one to create the following year's commemorative egg, which is presented to the president and first lady.

During the holy week, Easter eggs are seen as symbols of rebirth or a new life. They are viewed by Christians as a symbol of Jesus' emergence from the tomb and resurrection, according to Britannica.

This idea is believed to have originated from European pagans, who viewed eggs as a symbol of the regeneration that comes with the arrival of springtime. Early Christians then borrowed this image and incorporated it into their beliefs.