The glorious Easter in Jordan falls on the fifth of next May according to the Eastern calendar, after the Jordanian Council of Churches decided to unify the holidays a quarter of a century ago. Note that the Jordanian government grants Christian citizens a holiday on Palm Sunday and two days on Easter.

The celebration of Easter in Jordan is characterized by a spiritual atmosphere, with the Holy Fortieth Fasting lasting 48 days, and prayers most days of the week in all churches and for all Christian denominations in Jordan.

The western time for the Feast of the Annunciation is on March 25, while the eastern time is on April 7, and this holiday has an interpretation in the Christian faith. When

 The angel of God, Gabriel, came to the Virgin Mary and said to her: “Peace, you who have been favored. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” But the Virgin was afraid, and the angel said to him; Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God, and behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus. Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” He answered her, “It will be upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, and what is born of you will be called the Son of God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.”

The celebration of the Annunciation is limited to prayers, and the church allows every fasting believer to eat fish. During the fortieth period of fasting, churches in Jordan open their doors and prayers are held daily in the morning and evening.

Palm Sunday is one of the important holidays that precede Easter by six days, when believers remember Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and his reception by the people there with palm fronds and olive branches while chanting, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Children carry palm leaves in the circle of the cross, and crowds of believers also carry olive branches with an atmosphere of joy and prayers. Palm fronds symbolize power and glory, while olive branches symbolize peace.

The prayers of the Holy Week before Easter begin on the evening of Palm Sunday and continue every morning and evening. On Monday and Tuesday, a prayer is held known as the Circumcision, and on Wednesday there is the Holy Oil Prayer, while on Thursday it is dedicated to praying the Lord’s Last Supper with His disciples, and on Friday it is the Mystery of Calvary, the Lowering of the Cross, and the Burial, while Saturday is for the Holy Light Prayer.

Churches ring their bells during Holy Week with sadness so that the believer may remember the pain of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What distinguishes Jordan’s celebration of Easter is that the Orthodox Church in Jordan receives the holy light coming from the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, and a celebration is held under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Bishop, in the presence of all priests to take the light and distribute it to all the churches of the Kingdom.

 Believers carry candles and lanterns to bless themselves with the holy light, and from Jordan the holy light is sent to the churches of Syria and Lebanon. Dyeing and offering eggs is a joyful ritual on Easter, and symbolizes the resurrection of Christ.

At the end of Saturday night, the glorious Easter prayer is held, and people rejoice at the resurrection, saying: Christ has risen. He truly rose.