Wednesday, March 8, 2017

The Easter Season 2017 - 96 Days

THE EASTER SEASON 2017
96 DAYS
ASH WEDNESDAY to PENTECOST SUNDAY
Wednesday March 1, 2017 to Sunday June 4, 2017

Ash Wednesday           Day 1   Wednesday      March 01 2017
1st Day - Ash Wednesday

Palm Sunday               Day 40 Wednesday      April 09 2017
40th Day from Ash Wednesday

Maundy Thursday      Day 44 Thursday         April 13 2017
  5th Day from Palm Sunday
44th Day from Ash Wednesday

Good Friday                Day 45 Friday              April 14 2017
  6th Day from Palm Sunday
45th Day from Ash Wednesday

Easter Vigil                 Day 46 Saturday          April 15 2017
  7th Day from Palm Sunday
46th Day from Ash Wednesday

Easter Sunday            Day 47 Sunday            April 16 2017
  3rd Day from Good Friday
  8th Day from Palm Sunday
47th Day from Ash Wednesday

Ascension                    Day 86 Thursday         May 25 2017
40th Day from Easter Sunday
86th Day from Ash Wednesday

Pentecost                     Day 96 Sunday            June 04 2017
50th Day from Easter Sunday
96th Day from Ash Wednesday

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THE EASTER SEASON 2017
96 DAYS
ASH WEDNESDAY to PENTECOST SUNDAY
Wednesday March 1, 2017 to Sunday June 4, 2017


96 DAYS OF THE EASTER SEASON 2017

In 2017, beginning on March 1st and ending on June 4th, the milestone events leading up to and following the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ are as follows:

1.      Ash Wednesday          Day   1      Wednesday      March 01, 2017
2.      Palm Sunday              Day 40      Wednesday      April 09, 2017
3.      Maundy Thursday     Day 44      Thursday         April 13, 2017
4.      Good Friday               Day 45      Friday              April 14, 2017
5.      Easter Vigil                 Day 46      Saturday          April 15, 2017
6.      Easter Sunday            Day 47      Sunday             April 16, 2017
7.      Ascension                    Day 86      Thursday         May 25, 2017
8.      Pentecost                     Day 96      Sunday             June 04, 2017

On March 1, 2017, we began the Easter Season with the celebration of Ash Wednesday.  

Usually, we think of the Easter Season as beginning on Ash Wednesday, extending through the Palm Sunday Procession into Jerusalem, onto the Good Friday Crucifixion at the Place of the Skull, and ending with the Easter Sunday Resurrection at the tomb.  

That’s a total of 47 days.  Lent is the 40 day period (40 always representing testing) from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday.  Easter Week is the 7 day period from Palm Sunday through Good Friday to Easter Sunday. 

For my purposes in the article, I want to say that the Easter Season extends from Ash Wednesday on March 1, 2017 to Pentecost on Sunday on June 4, 2017.  

That’s a period of 96 days.  In that period, we have the 47 days described above, plus the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven on the 86th day, plus 10 more days to Pentecost when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to fill His disciples.  

Pentecost occurs on the 50th day from the Resurrection.  The number 50 signifies the infilling of the Holy Spirit and Jubilee.  In the Old Testament, Jubilee occurred every 50 years.  Jubilee deals largely with land, property, and property rights.  Slaves and prisoners were freed, debts were forgiven, and the mercies of God were particularly manifested.

Many Christians observe the season of Lent, the 40 day period from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday.  During that season, people do some things differently in recognition of the Easter Season, including fasting, additional Bible reading and prayer, attending additional church services, watching movies about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and generally being, in a sense, more focused and reverent during this time.  
The culmination of the season is the Resurrection of Christ.

For the 96 day period I am considering, I want to extend the Lenten sacrifices and adoration beyond the recognition of the Resurrection onto the recognition of Pentecost.


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