摘要：复活节的故事传承了近两个世纪，深深扎根于基督教信仰中。这一节日不仅庆祝耶稣基督的复活，更象征着上帝对人类救赎的承诺。随着时间的推移，复活节的庆祝形式逐渐融合了许多世俗传统，为全球数以万计的信徒带来了欢乐和期待。
复活节的故事传承了近两个世纪，深深扎根于基督教信仰中。这一节日不仅庆祝耶稣基督的复活，更象征着上帝对人类救赎的承诺。随着时间的推移，复活节的庆祝形式逐渐融合了许多世俗传统，为全球数以万计的信徒带来了欢乐和期待。
Today, Easter's most recognizable traditions are perhaps those dealing with eggs and rabbits.
如今，复活节最广为人知的传统可能就是那些与彩蛋和兔子有关的传统了。
But how did the holiday get its start?
但这个节日是如何开始的呢？
Celebrations of the Christian festival of Easter have been documented as early as the 2nd century.
基督教复活节的庆祝活动早在公元 2 世纪就有记载。
Today the holiday is observed around the globe by thousands of Christian denominations.
如今，全球有数千个基督教派庆祝这一节日。
Easter commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his Crucifixion about 30 CE.
复活节是为了纪念耶稣基督在大约公元 30 年受难后的第三天复活。
The Easter story is documented in the Bible, in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
复活节的故事记载于《圣经》中的《马太福音》、《马可福音》、《路加福音》和《约翰福音》。
Each Gospel tells a similar story.
每卷福音书都讲述了一个相似的故事。
On the Sunday morning following Christ's Crucifixion on Good Friday, women went to visit Christ's tomb and found a stone rolled away from the tomb's entrance and Christ's body gone.
耶稣受难日被钉十字架后的星期天早上，女性去探访基督的坟墓，发现一块石头从坟墓的入口处滚开，基督的尸体不见了。
The women hurriedly shared the news with Christ's followers, the Apostles.
这些女人急忙把这个消息告诉了基督的追随者——使徒们。
After initial disbelief, the Apostles celebrated the Resurrection of Christ until his Ascension into heaven 40 days later.
在最初的怀疑过后，使徒们庆祝基督的复活，直到他在 40 天后升天。
Easter is one of the most important Christian festivals of the liturgical calendar.
复活节是基督教礼仪日历中最重要的节日之一。
For Christians, Easter not only celebrates Christ's Resurrection, but it also reveals God's plan for salvation and hope for one's own resurrection, a key belief shared across denominations.
对基督徒来说，复活节不仅庆祝基督复活，还揭示了上帝的救赎计划和对自己复活的希望，这也是各教派共有的重要信仰。
The holiday marks the end of Lent, a period of 40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays, during which Christians often practice acts of penance and fasting in preparation for Christ's Resurrection.
复活节标志着大斋节的结束，大斋节是复活节前的 40 天（不包括星期日），在此期间，基督徒通常会进行忏悔和斋戒，为基督的复活做准备。
Debates about when to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ caused major controversy in early Christianity.
关于何时庆祝基督复活的争论在早期基督教中引起了很大争议。
In 325 the Council of Nicaea decreed that Easter would be on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox, which was then March 21.
公元 325 年，尼西亚大公会议颁布法令，将复活节定在春分后第一个满月之后的第一个星期日，即当时的 3 月 21 日。
Churches today use this basic formula, with March 21 as a fixed date for the spring equinox, to determine the date of Easter.
今天的教会使用这一基本公式，将 3 月 21 日作为春分的固定日期，来确定复活节的日期。
However, Eastern Orthodox churches usually celebrate Easter slightly later than Catholic and Protestant ones because they still calculate their liturgical year using the Julian, as opposed to the Gregorian, calendar.
不过，东正教会庆祝复活节的时间通常比天主教会和新教教会稍晚，因为他们仍然使用儒略历而不是公历来计算他们的教会年历。
A main component of many celebrations is the Easter Vigil, often taking place after sunset the night before Easter.
许多庆祝活动的主要组成部分是复活节守夜，通常在复活节前夜的日落后举行。
Easter celebrations vary across the world and across Christian denominations.
世界各地和各基督教派的复活节庆祝活动各不相同。
Orthodox traditions celebrate a similar Easter Vigil, while many North American Protestant churches participate in Easter sunrise services.
东正教传统庆祝类似的复活节守夜，而许多北美新教教堂则参加复活节日出仪式。
Today the holiday is widely identifiable by its secular traditions.
如今，复活节因其世俗传统而广为人知。
Although its origins are obscure, the practice of dyeing and decorating eggs has been practiced in both the Eastern Orthodox and Western churches since the Middle Ages.
虽然起源不详，但自中世纪以来，东正教和西方教会都有给彩蛋染色和装饰的习俗。
Rabbits became associated with Easter by Protestants starting in the 17th century.
从 17 世纪开始，新教徒将兔子与复活节联系在一起。
The Easter Hare in Germany hid eggs for children to find, or it laid its eggs in nests prepared by children.
德国的复活节兔子会把蛋藏起来让孩子们找，或者把蛋放在孩子们准备好的窝里。
Nests eventually changed to Easter baskets, and today children often look forward to receiving chocolate and other candies in their baskets on Easter.
巢窝最终变成了复活节篮子，如今，孩子们常常期待在复活节时收到装在篮子里的巧克力和其他糖果。
As many as 91 million chocolate bunnies are sold for Easter in the United States each year, making Easter not only one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar but also one of the sweetest.
在美国，每年复活节巧克力兔的销量高达 9100 万颗，这使得复活节不仅成为基督教日历中最神圣的日子之一，也成最甜蜜的日子之一。
来源：英语东