Resurrection of Hope

"I am the Resurrection and the life and he who believes in me will live even when he dies"
[John 11:25]

As the day dawns over the horizon, these words from the Book echo within the minds of believers. This is the day they have been waiting for all the year. This is Easter. And as with all festivities, Easter is also special for Keralites.
Kerala, with a large Christian population, celebrates Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon  with the rest of the world. Like their brethren elsewhere in the world, people observe lent for over one month, attends service on Good Friday, an joyously receive the resurrection of the Lord on Easter. 
Kerala presents a unique picture, with people in both traditional attire and modern dress making a beeline for churches early in the morning, offering prayers, and then breaking the lent. In Kerala, the usual delicacy on Easter day is the ever-favourite appam and kozhicurry (chicken curry). Cakes, biriyani and wine follows. Another factor that sets apart Keralite Easter is the absence of Easter eggs. 
In fact, the exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries old when Christians first celebrated Easter. From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth and resurrection in many cultures. Eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf, or, coloured brightly. 
It is also interesting to note how the date of Easter is fixed. Historians say that prior to A D 325, Easter was variously celebrated on different days of the week, including Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In that year, the Council of Nicaea was convened by emperor Constantine. It issued the Easter Rule which states that Easter shall be celebrated on the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox, or first day of spring. Therefore, Easter must be celebrated on a Sunday between the dates of March 22 and April 25. Its date is linked to 
the lunar cycle. 
In the midst of all this the fun and gaiety, the real significance of Easter is never forgotten. "I'm the Resurrection and the Life and he who believes in me will live even when he dies."
Easter is also closely associated with spring. The new plant life that appears in spring symbolises the new life Christians gain because of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. Easter is also considered a day of "white" because newly baptised church members wore white clothes at Easter observances.