Although Easter and Passover are both holy holidays and occur in Spring, they are not the same. There are similarities like how you see Jesus in “The Last Supper” by Leonadro Da Vinci having a Seder dinner, but the two are very different. The easy to follow infographic below is a perfect way to learn or teach how they are related, why they are different and it makes a great printable for a classroom at your local place of worship or a religious studies course.
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Are Easter and Passover The Same?
Although both are important holidays and celebrations, they are not the same. Here are the similarities and differences between Passover and Easter.
What is Easter?
Easter – (ee-ster) noun – A Christian holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In modern times it is celebrated by attending church, having a dinner with family and friends as well as participating in festive traditions like coloring hard boiled eggs and hiding plastic ones filled with candy or surprises.
What is Passover?
Passover (pass-oh-ver) noun – A Jewish holiday that remembers the exodus of the ancient Hebrew people from Egypt. It is celebrated by having a meal where families and friends of the family will read scripture while drinking 4 glasses of wine and eating foods that represent the exodus from slavery.
The Similarities Between Easter and Passover Include:
- Seder dinners:
- Jewish people eat a Seder dinner
- In The Last Supper you see Jesus eating a Seder dinner
- Judiasm:
- Passover is a Jewish holiday
- Â Jesus was Jewish
- Both take place in Spring
- Both have important dinners where you gather with family
- Both use Eggs as traditional symbols
- Judiasm – eggs symbolize rebirth
- Christianity – eggs symbolize Jesus’s tomb; when colored they stand for the resurrection
- Both have sweet foods, but they represent different things
- Judiasm – represents mortar from the bricks used to build Pharoh’s temple
- Christianity – sweets and candies are eaten to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection
The Differences Between Easter and Passover Include:
Even though they occur around the same time, they are celebrated with family and close friends, and they involve a dinner, they are very different. Here are some of the differences between these Jewish and Christian holidays.
- The reasons for celebrating
- Jewish people celebrate being freed from slavery
- Christians celebrate Jesus resurrecting and atoning for their sins
- What each holiday celebrates
- Jewish people gather to remember hard times and celebrate freedom
- Christians gather to celebrate a miracle
- When they occur
- Passover is set on the 14th of Nissan on the lunar calendar
- Easter is based on the March equinox and changes on the solar calendar
- Who is the focus of the celebration
- Moses is the primary person associated remembered on Passover
- Easter celebrates Jesus
- Both have different lengths
- Passover is 7 – 8 nights
- Easter is 1 night
At a first glance you may assume that these holidays are very similar, but when you break it down to how and why they are celebrated, you’ll see that they are very different. If you found this information helpful, feel free to share it on your favorite social media channel using the options below. You can also use our services to send Easter gifts to and from more than 200 countries around the world.