Understanding Easter: faith, resurrection, and renewal
Easter is the most important day in the Christian calendar, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ after His crucifixion around 30 AD. The holiday follows a 40-day period of fasting and prayer known as Lent and culminates in Holy Week.
As the late South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu – once shared on Facebook: “Easter says to us that despite everything to the contrary, his will for us will prevail, love will prevail over hate, justice over injustice and oppression, peace over exploitation and bitterness.”
Ulrich Lehner, theology professor at the University of Notre Dame puts it differently: “It’s the church’s highest feast, because, without it, there will be no church.”
Why the Easter date changes every year
Easter falls on the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the spring equinox (March 21). As a result, Easter can occur anywhere from March 22 to April 25.
In 2025, Easter Sunday was celebrated on April 20, a date that last occurred in 2014 and won’t occur again until 2087.
Eggs, hot cross bunnies, and pagan symbolism
The Easter Bunny and egg-decorating traditions may seem out of place, but they originate from pre-Christian pagan symbols.
According to Pastor Simon Lerefole of Every Nation Rosebank Church, Easter was once a Pagan celebration honouring the goddess of fertility, Ēostre.
“It was only later that Christians repurposed it to celebrate the Passover, which is the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That’s the same time the Israelites moved from Egypt to the Promised Land – when Jesus was observing the Last Supper. After that, we have the Good Friday, the day when Jesus Christ was crucified.
“Fertility means new life,” Lehner explained. “In Christianity, you have this new life in Easter.”
Elaborating further in an interview with eNCA, Pastor Lerefo said hot cross buns date bate to the 12th century, introduced by an Anglican monk. “He thought ‘there’s a way we can celebrate Easter by putting a cross on these buns. There’s nothing wrong bad with that—it’s just a way of celebration. But things like that can take us away from the real meaning of the Passover—understanding that when Jesus died, it was to save mankind. To take us away from the life of slavery into the life of freedom we need to live today.”
Lerefole added: “In the history of the Bible, you see that God is always yearning for a relationship with humankind. The Passover is a reminder. That’s the reason we celebrate it—the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, with the understanding that He came to reconcile and restore us to God.”
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12 ways South Africans celebrate Easter
1. Faith and church services
Holy Week begins with Good Friday and ends on Resurrection Sunday, with special services held across the country—some lasting all night long.
Thousands of Zion Christian Church members make their annual pilgrimage to Moria, the largest Easter gathering of its kind in South Africa,
This Easter weekend, the Putco bus company operated 500 buses to ferry pilgrims nationwide. This year was particularly significant—it marked the first full-scale gathering in five years following pandemic restrictions that paused the pilgrimage in 2020.
The Limpopo Tourism Agency (LTA) reported that over 2 million visitors came to Limpopo for Easter this year, including attendees of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church’s pilgrimage, also in Moria.
2. Xhosa and Zulu worship traditions
Easter in Xhosa and Zulu communities includes intense spiritual observance, hymns, communal prayers, and storytelling with elders.
3. Family reunions
Families often travel long distances to gather in their hometowns or rural villages, making Easter one of the biggest homecoming events in South Africa.
4. The iconic 7-colour plate
Especially in Xhosa homes, Easter meals feature the vibrant 7-colour plate: ice, beetroot, pumpkin, creamed spinach, and more—a feast symbolising joy and unity.
5. Umphokoqo and amasi
This traditional Xhosa maize meal and sour milk combo is a nostalgic, refreshing, and deeply nostalgic—is served post service, particularly in warmer areas.
6. Cape Town’s pickled fish tradition
In many Coloured households, Good Friday means pickled fish—firm fish soaked in vinegar and spices—served cold, often with hot cross buns.
7. Hot cross buns
With a symbolic cross, this traditional Easter treat is enjoyed across cultures—paired with pickled fish or afternoon tea.
8. Beacon chocolate hens Easter eggs
Beloved across generations, these treats are eagerly anticipated by. Kids and adults alike during Easter eggs hunts and celebrations.
9. Braais and picnics on Easter Monday
After Sunday’s spiritual focus, many South Africans enjoy the public holiday outdoors—hosting braais, hiking, or relaxing with family.
10. Afrikaans simplicity and nature getaways
Many Afrikaans families use the long weekend for reflection and peaceful escapes into nature, paired with traditional meals.
11. Local Easter markets and events
Easter egg hunts, church events, and markets fill townships and cities with energy and celebration. One of the most iconic events is the Johannesburg’s Rand Show—formerly the Rand Easter Show.
As the largest consumer exhibition in Southern Africa, it draws hundreds of thousands annually and mixes tradition with entertainment, shopping and food.
12. A message of hope and renewal
At its heart, Easter in South Africa is a time of forgiveness, hope and spiritual renewal—echoing across generations and communities.
