Within the peaceful settings of Amish communities, where time appears to pause amidst picturesque landscapes and rustic barns, the question arises: Do the Amish celebrate Easter?
The answer is yes, the Amish do celebrate the Easter holiday, but in their own unique way. In today's post, we'll discuss how Amish families observe Easter, drawing from my own experiences of how my Amish family celebrated this special religious holiday. Keep in mind that it will not be the same in every Amish community.
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Amish Holidays
I have another post where I shared about Amish Holidays. I pointed out in that article that the Amish celebrate a few religious holidays that many of us don't, such as Ascension Day, Pentecost Monday, Second Christmas, etc.
Amish celebrate Christmas as well as Thanksgiving Day. While they may not celebrate all of our public holidays such as the Fourth of July or Memorial Day, they celebrate all of the Christian religious holidays.
Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday that remembers the day Jesus Christ was crucified and died. It's part of Holy Week, leading up to Easter.
Some Christians attend a special church service on Good Friday and reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. The term "Good" in Good Friday comes from an old word meaning, suggesting that it is a holy and sacred day.
Not only do Amish families celebrate Easter, but the Amish also celebrate Good Friday. It is a very sacred holiday in Amish communities, and many observe the day with fasting and prayer.
Good Friday in My Home Growing Up
In my New Order Amish home, Good Friday was probably the most sacred day of the entire year (along with October 11th). We were not allowed to do more work than absolutely necessary.
Everyone had to fast for breakfast (we couldn't eat or drink anything but water until lunchtime).
We had to milk the cows in the morning, but after barn chores were finished the family gathered in the living room with songbooks and our Bibles. We sang quite a few hymns and songs about the crucifixion of Jesus. (Songs such as The Old Rugged Cross, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, etc.)
Then we read the entire crucifixion story. (Here is John's version.)
Each of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) has a unique perspective on the crucifixion of Jesus. They recorded the events as they remembered them, so you'll find different details in each one. Therefore, we spent hours going over the four Gospels reading and gleaning from each one to complete the story.
At noon, my dad finished the morning devotional time with a long heartfelt prayer. However, the entire day was dedicated to Bible readings, prayer, and reflecting on what Jesus did for us at the cross. It was a day of remembrance and preparation for communion services.
Amish Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is a joyous holiday! Good Friday was a sad and solemn day, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. But on Easter morning, Christ arose victorious over death and hell, bringing new life, and new hope for anyone who will believe.
We did not have an Easter sunrise service as some Christians do. Our morning chores would have interfered with that.
We got up early on Easter morning and went to church as we always did. If it was our church Sunday, we celebrated Easter by having an all-day communion service.
The Amish observe communion twice a year, in the spring and fall. Our communion time usually fell right over the Easter season. However, since we only had church every other Sunday, we didn't always have communion on Easter Sunday.
(I shared all about our communion services in another post - read that here.)
I believe some Amish communities may have communion on Good Friday. But our group always had communion on a Sunday sometime around Easter.
Do Amish Children Have Easter Egg Hunts?
In the Amish culture, holidays such as Easter and Christmas are observed with a focus on religious observances rather than the secular traditions often associated with the holiday. They don't believe in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, etc.
Amish children typically do not engage in Easter egg hunts, as these activities are not traditionally part of their cultural practices. Instead, the emphasis is placed on the religious aspects of Easter, with families attending church services to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.
Some Amish families spend Easter Sunday together, sharing a special meal and reflecting on the spiritual importance of the day.
While the Amish people do acknowledge Easter, their celebrations tend to align more with their deeply rooted religious beliefs rather than the festive, secular customs commonly observed in mainstream society.
However, even though they focus on the religious aspect of the holiday, some of them also add fun holiday activities for the kids.
While it may not have been on Easter, we boiled eggs and painted them with food coloring sometime around the holiday. We put our colored eggs into Easter baskets and kept them until they were practically rotten. 😉
My mom often bought a bit of Easter candy and put it into plastic Easter eggs for us.
Traditions vary among families and communities. Some families like to make homemade Easter candy eggs, and some Amish kids might even participate in an Easter egg hunt.
Easter Monday - Another Amish Holiday
Many Amish families also celebrate the day after Easter (Easter Monday). I'm not exactly sure why it's an Amish holiday. I guess since Easter falls on a Sunday, which is already a day of rest, they feel like they need to observe an extra day.
I don't remember much of what we did on this holiday. Although, our group had a church picnic every summer, and it was usually on Easter Monday, Pentecost Monday, or Ascension Day. The youth typically had a ball game, or some such activity, on all of these holidays.
More About the Amish
I hope you enjoyed reading this article on the question of "Do Amish Celebrate Easter?"
If you enjoy learning about the Amish lifestyle and culture, you may enjoy reading more of my articles...
Kimberly Kotsiris
Your very fascinating people. I so enjoy all the stories all the traditions and most of all all the foods you post. Thank you 🌹
Anna
Thank you for leaving a comment. I am glad you are here!