Is Easter a pagan celebration?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
From the perspective of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ—commonly referred to in the West as Easter—is absolutely not a pagan celebration. It is the cornerstone of the Christian faith.
1. The Origin Is the Resurrection, Not Mythology
The celebration is rooted entirely in the historical and biblical event of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day, as recorded in the Holy Gospels. For Coptic Orthodox Christians, this feast is called Pi-Pascha or Pi-Ouaine — The Resurrection. The word Pascha is derived from the Hebrew Pesach*, referring to the Passover, signifying Christ as our true Passover Lamb who transitioned us from death to life.
2. The Name "Easter"
The confusion often arises from the English word "Easter," which some etymologists suggest may have roots in the name of a Germanic pagan goddess (Eostre). However, this is a linguistic issue specific to the English and German languages. In the Coptic Church and throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East, the name of the feast has always been Pascha. The linguistic origin of a word in a modern language does not change the divine and holy nature of the Feast of the Resurrection.
3. The Date of the Celebration
Some critics claim the date is pagan because it follows the lunar calendar. This is false. The Coptic Orthodox Church follows the Nicene Creed and the computation (Epact) established by the Patriarchs of Alexandria. We celebrate the Resurrection on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox, and specifically after the Jewish Passover. This is done to ensure the biblical chronology is respected—that Christ rose after the Passover—and has nothing to do with pagan nature worship.
4. Cultural Customs vs. the Holy Mystery
While some Western secular traditions (like bunnies or eggs) may have been influenced by local folk customs over centuries, these are not the Church. In the Coptic tradition, the focus remains entirely on the liturgical prayers, the Joyous Tunes, and the victory over Hades. Even the tradition of red eggs in our culture is used to symbolize the new life found in Christ and His shed blood, rather than any pagan fertility rite.
5. Heretical and Protestant Critiques
It is often certain Protestant sects or extremist groups who claim the Feast of the Resurrection is pagan in an attempt to undermine the Apostolic Tradition of the Church. These claims are historically inaccurate and theologically bankrupt. The early Church, including the great Fathers like St. Athanasius and St. Cyril, defended the celebration of the Pascha as the vital heart of the Christian life.
The Resurrection is the ultimate victory over paganism and death. To call it a pagan celebration is to ignore the historical reality of the empty tomb and the consistent witness of the Coptic Orthodox Church for over 2,000 years.!!** (Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!)