Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday & Easter

These events are directly related to the Jewish celebration of Passover, commemorating when God, through Moses, brought the tenth plague upon the Egyptian Pharaoh, who refused to free the enslaved Jewish people. God protected all Jewish homes by instructing them to place the blood of a sacrificed lamb on their doorposts, so the Angel of Death would pass over those homes. Not only Jewish people but also non-Jews who took refuge in these marked homes were unharmed. This act of the Angel of Death "passing over" these homes is the origin of the "Passover" celebration. For Jewish people, this is one of the main festivals, where they eat unleavened bread and food without fermentation and recount this event to their children.

It is during this Jewish festival that the main events of Christian beliefs take place, as Jesus Christ enters the city of Jerusalem, where the Jewish temple and all significant Jewish religious establishments are located.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is celebrated because many Jewish people welcomed Jesus as their savior and King. He entered Jerusalem riding on a white donkey, as prophesied. Jewish people waved palm branches in their hands, expressing their happiness at seeing Jesus as their Messiah and shouting with joy, "Hosanna in the highest." The word "Hosanna" comes from a Hebrew word meaning “save now” or “save us, we pray.” Their shouts indicated the hope that their Messiah had finally come to establish God's kingdom then and there. Sadly, the salvation that the Jewish people of Jerusalem desired that day was political, not spiritual. They were only interested in a temporary, worldly fulfillment of the messianic prophecies. They chose not to see the prophecies that said the Messiah would be “a man of sorrows” who would bear the griefs of His people and be crucified for their sins.

Maundy Thursday

This leads to the Last Supper on the day before Passover, known as Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, is a Christian observance that marks the beginning of the Paschal Triduum, a three-day period leading up to Easter Sunday. It commemorates the Last Supper, where Jesus shared a meal with his disciples, and the washing of the disciples' feet, an act of humility and service. On this day, Jesus had his last supper (dinner) with his 12 disciples. He gave them a covenant to remember Him by eating "bread" and drinking "wine" (since wine was essentially part of the Mediterranean diet). Additionally, Jesus Christ washed the feet of all 12 disciples to demonstrate humility and to encourage them to do the same for others as one does for oneself.

On Maundy Thursday night, which is the beginning of Friday per the Jewish calendar, Jesus Christ was taken prisoner by the Jewish High Priest and other leaders. They held their religious court proceedings and decided that Jesus Christ should be killed, as they did not truly understand His teachings. They ignored their own biblical prophecies and did not believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Since Jewish people did not have the authority to execute anyone, they took Jesus Christ to the Roman Governor named Pontius Pilate, who did not find any wrongdoing in Jesus Christ. However, due to the demands of the Jewish High Priest and religious leaders, he relented and ordered Jesus Christ to be crucified.

Good Friday

Jesus Christ was crucified on Friday and died at 3 PM. Though it was a very sad day in human history, Christians regard this as "Good Friday" because humankind now has the chance to be forgiven of their sins and be with the Creator God forever. Good Friday is observed with holy communion and a church service in the Indian subcontinent with a somber tone, as it is overall a sad day.

Easter

Easter is celebrated on Sunday when Jesus Christ was resurrected after being crucified. This event is seen as proof of His divinity and the fulfillment of prophecies regarding a savior. Easter is traditionally a joyous holiday for Christians and Catholics, marking the end of the Lent season and the beginning of a new season of hope and renewal.