The first Christians, Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, were certainly aware of the Hebrew calendar, and there is no direct evidence that they celebrated any specifically Christian annual festivals. The observance by Christians of non-Jewish annual festivals is believed by some to be an innovation postdating the Early Church. The ecclesiastical historian Socrates Scholasticus (b. 380) attributes the observance of Easter by the church to the perpetuation of its custom, "just as many other customs have been established," stating that neither Jesus nor his Apostles enjoined the keeping of this or any other festival. (Wikipedia Encyclopedia)

The name “Easter” has its roots in ancient polytheistic religions (paganism). On this, all scholars agree. This name is never used in the original Scriptures, nor is it ever associated biblically with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Christian Answers Network)

"The English word 'Easter' came from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre or Estera, a Teutonic goddess to whom sacrifice was offered in April, so the name was transferred to the Paschal Feast." (INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA, VOL.2, P.889)

"The name 'Easter' comes to us from the mythological writings of the Ancient Teucrians (who lived 1200BC along the southern coast of Palestine) where it's known as 'Ostern'" (GROVER STEVENS). "The name 'Easter' is merely the slightly changed English spelling of the name of the ancient Assyrian and Babylonian idol goddess, Ishtar (pronounced eesh-tar)." WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY says "Easter is from the name of an ancient pagan spring festival." THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY says, "Easter is derived from the name of goddess whose feast was celebrated at the vernal equinox." THE SCHOLARY NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA says, "This goddess is also widely known as Astarte...The cult originated in Babylonia and spread to Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria & Palestine, then through the Phoenicians to all of the Mediterranean peoples...Ishtar was in fact primarily and chiefly identified as Venus, the most beautiful of celestial objects & from the terrestrial side, the primarily motive of the worship of Ishtar was the impulse to deify sensuous and sensuality." ALEXANDER HISLOP SAYS IN THE TWO BABYLONS (P.103), "Easter bears its Chaldean origin on its forehead. Easter is nothing else than Asarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven..."

"Ishtar", which is pronounced "Easter" was a day that commemorated the resurrection of one of the Babylonian gods that they called "Tammuz", who was believed to be the only begotten son of the moon-goddess and the sun-god. In those ancient times, there was a man named Nimrod. After the death of his father, Nimrod married his own mother and became a powerful King. Nimrod became a god-man to the people and Semiramis, his wife and mother, became the powerful Queen of ancient Babylon. After Nimrod was killed, Semiramis told the people of Babylon that Nimrod had ascended to the sun and was now to be called "Baal", the sun god. Queen Semiramis also proclaimed that Baal would be present on earth in the form of a flame, when used in worship. Semiramis was creating a mystery religion, and with the help of Satan, she set herself up as a goddess. Semiramis claimed that she was immaculately conceived. She taught that the moon was a goddess that went through a 28 day cycle and ovulated when full. She further claimed that she came down from the moon in a giant moon egg that fell into the Euphrates River. This was to have happened at the time of the first full moon after the spring equinox. Semiramis became known as "Ishtar" which is pronounced "Easter", and her moon egg became known as "Ishtar's" egg." Ishtar soon became pregnant and claimed that it was the rays of the sun-god Baal that caused her to conceive. The son that she brought forth was named Tammuz. Tammuz was noted to be especially fond of rabbits, and they became sacred in the ancient religion, because Tammuz was believed to be the son of the sun-god, Baal. The day came when Tammuz who had become a hunter, was killed by a wild pig. Queen Ishtar told the people that Tammuz was now ascended to his father, Baal, and that the two of them would be with the worshippers in the sacred candle or lamp flame as Father, Son and Spirit. Every year, on the first Sunday [Sunday: the sacred day of the sun] after the first full moon after the spring equinox, the time of Tammuz's death and resurrection and ascension, a celebration was made. It was Ishtar's Sunday and was celebrated with rabbits and eggs. Ishtar also proclaimed that because Tammuz was killed by a pig, that a pig must be eaten on that Sunday. (David J. Meyer, Last Trumpet Ministries International)

It is evident from history that Nimrod was not only a political leader, but also the lead priest of a form of occultic worship. (Ralph Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion (Riverside, California: Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Assn., 1966), p. 9; and Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons (New York: Loizeaux Brothers) … “Later, when this adulterous and idolatrous woman gave birth to an illegitimate son, she claimed that this son, Tammuz by name, was Nimrod reborn.” (Woodrow, Ibid., p. 9) … “However, not only was the child worshipped, but the woman, the MOTHER, was also worshipped as much (or more) than the son!” (Woodrow, Ibid., p. 9) … "In the old fables of the Mystery cults, their 'savior' Tammuz, was worshipped with various rites at the Spring season. According to the legends, after he was slain [killed by a wild boar], he went into the underworld. But through the weeping of his mother… he mystically revived in the springing forth of the vegetation - in Spring! Each year a spring festival dramatically represented this supposed 'resurrection' from the underworld. (Homer W. Smith, Man and His Gods, p. 86, as cited by Woodrow, p. 157) … Austen Layard said “that we have the united testimony of sacred and profane history that idolatry originated in the area of Babylonia.” (Woodrow, Ibid., p. 11; Austen Henry Layard, Nineveh and Its Remains) … As the people scattered from Babel with their different languages, they, of course, used different names for Nimrod (Tammuz) and Semiramis. Some called the Mother Goddess “ISHTAR” (Woodrow Ibid., p. 152) … “The egg was a sacred symbol among the Babylonians. They believed an old fable about an egg of wondrous size which was supposed to have fallen from heaven into the Euphrates River. From this marvelous egg - according to the ancient story - the Goddess Astarte (Easter) [Semiramis], was hatched. And so the egg came to symbolize the Goddess Easter.” (Woodrow, Ibid., pp. 152-153) … The idea of a mystic egg spread from Babylon to many parts of the world. (James G. Frazer, The Golden Bough, Vol. 12, 3rd Edition (1907-15, reissued 1935-36 and 1955); Maria Leach, editor, Funk and Wagnall's Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend, Vol. 1 (1949)) … In Rome, the mystic egg preceded processions in honor of the Mother Goddess Roman. The egg was part of the sacred ceremonies of the Mysteries of Bacchus. (Ibid., p. 155)

Mithra was born on December 25th as an offspring of the Sungod Mehr. Chambers Encyclopedia says: "The most important of his many festivals was his birthday, celebrated on the 25th of December, the day subsequently fixed --against all evidence -- as the birthday of Christ. The worship of Mithras early found its way into Rome, and the mysteries of Mithras, which fell in the spring equinox, were famous even among the many Roman festivals … " The Vatican was built upon the grounds previously devoted to the worship of Mithra (600 B.C.) (Wikipedia). In the catacombs at Rome was preserved a relic of the old Mithraic worship. It was a picture of the infant Mithra seated in the lap of his virgin mother [Anahita, the moon goddess or the mother goddess or the mother nature], while on their knees before him were Persian Magi adoring him and offering gifts. Mithra was buried in a tomb and after three days he rose again. His resurrection was celebrated every year. Mithra had his principal festival on what was later to become Easter, at which time he was resurrected.

He [Mithra] is sometimes depicted as a man being born or reborn from a [egg shaped] rock (the 'petra genetrix),typically with the snake Oroboros wrapped around it. It is commonly believed that the cave in Mithraism imagery represents the cosmos, and the rock is the cosmos seen from the outside; hence the description of this god as 'rising from the dead'. According to some accounts, Mithras died, was buried in a cavernous rock tomb [similar to an eggshell] , and was resurrected. (Mithraism - Indopedia, the Indological knowledgebase)

A bronze image of Mithras emerging from an egg-shaped zodiac ring was found associated with a mithraeum along Hadrian's Wall (now at the University of Newcastle). An inscription from the city of Rome suggests that Mithras may have been seen as the Orphic creator-god Phanes who emerged from the world egg at the beginning of time, bringing the universe into existence. This view is reinforced by a bas-relief at the Estense Museum in Modena, Italy, which shows Phanes coming from an egg, surrounded by the twelve signs of the zodiac, in an image very similar to that at Newcastle. (Wikipedia Encyclopedia)

What we have quoted above, are only a few of many such documents supporting the fact that the issue of death and resurrection of Prophet Jesus (PBUH), and also traditions used at Easter such as the rabbits, eggs, ham and …, are all imports from pagan cultures that prior to Christianity, had strong influence upon the Roman Empire which later became the center for Catholicism based on Pauline doctrine, the doctrine which eventually became the basis for almost the entire world of Christianity; for related information, we also cordially invite you to read the articles: "Truth behind Christmas" and all parts of "Two Messiahs" in this site: kindfather.com

Considering the pagan origin of Easter festival, it is not surprising at all that the issue of the Prophet Jesus' (PBUH) death and resurrection has been presented with great contradictions in the current New Testament which itself, was chosen an arranged as the standard book of Christians, centuries after Jesus (PBUH), by the Roman Empire! Here, we are going to present only one sample.

Christians use the sign of the Prophet Jonah (PBUH) as their strongest evidence that the Prophet Jesus (PBUH) died on the cross and was buried and rose again; in gospel of Matthew 12:39-40, it is stated, “But he [Jesus] answered them: An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” But let us pay attention; the very important key point is that the Prophet Yoonos -Jonah- (PBUH) was alive in the belly of the big fish, not dead!!! So how the story of Hadrat Yoonos (PBUH) is a sign for the death and resurrection of Prophet 'Eesa -Jesus- (PBUH), remains a question never really answered by Christians!!! Actually, this itself could be an extraordinary sign, for, it is a sign of life, not death, rather continuing life!

Now, in order to observe the unbelievable contradictions in the Bible in this regard, let us look carefully at another aspect of this so-called sign of death; Christians say that Jesus (PBUH), whom they consider as both "God" and "son of God" (for more information in this regard please read all parts of the article: "Two Messiahs" in this site), was supposedly in the heart of earth or as stated in the gospel of Matthew 27:59-60, in the new tomb which Joseph of Arimathea had had hewn in the rock. But if we look at the scriptural evidences, we will find that it is stated that Jesus was brought before Pilate on the Friday, was supposedly placed on the cross on either the third hour (according to gospel of Mark 15:25) or the sixth hour (gospel of John 19:14-16); it is then stated in gospel of Matthew 28:1 that when they went to the sepulcher toward the dawn of Sunday, it was found that the body of Jesus (God or son of God!) was missing. Therefore according to this, and other gospel accounts, Jesus had only been in the tomb, supposedly, perhaps late Friday afternoon, Friday night, Saturday, and part of Saturday night, or less. By dawn on Sunday he was not found there. Thus the total of time which the gospels say that Jesus spent “in the heart of the earth” was less than two days, and two nights - nowhere near the three days and three nights reportedly prophesied by Jesus in Matthew chapter 12.

WELL! WHICH IS IT? WAS THE "DEAD GOD" BURIED FOR THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS, OR TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS? AND FURTHERMORE, WAS THE ENTIRE EXISTENCE WITHOUT A LIVING GOD, WHILE GOD WAS DEAD AND BURIED?!!! -----SOBHANALLAH-----

Yes, they killed him not:

Qur'an 4:157 And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, 'Eesa son of Maryam, the messenger of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so; and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture; and they killed him not for sure.

But Allah wished to raise Jesus (PBUH) and keep him alive so that in the Last Days he may return and assist Mahdi (PBUH) in the fulfilment of Allah's Promise:

Qur'an 4:158 Nay, Allah raised him up toward Him; and Allah is Ever Mighty, Wise.

Many authentic Islamic documents confirm that in the Last Days, Hadrat 'Eesa (PBUH) will descend by Allah's Command and Permission, and will assist Hadrat Mahdi (PBUH) in the task of establishing true Monotheism and Justice on the entire planet earth; Imam Baaqer (PBUH) in regard to the verse:

Qur'an 4:159 And there is not one from the People of the Book but will surely believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness upon them,

has mentioned that, this verse is in regard to the time of Appearance when Hadrat 'Eesa (PBUH) will return after the Emergence of Hadrat Mahdi (PBUH), and then, there will not be one from the adherents to the Book but will believe in him before his death, and shall stand behind Mahdi (PBUH) in congregational prayer. (Tafseer Jaame', Tafseer Ali Ebne Ibrahim Qomi, …)

We also cordially invite you to read the articles: "Ascension of Jesus (PBUH)", "Ascension of Mohammad (PBUH&HP)" and "Second coming of Jesus (PBUH)" in this site: kindfather.com

O' our beloved Mahdi (May Allah hasten your glorious Appearance)! Our tears fall with the pain of missing you; our hearts beat with the hope of seeing you; our moments fly with the wish of finding you … .