AUSTRALIANS will spend an estimated $191 million on Easter eggs this holiday period but for major Christian religions, the season exists for quite different reasons.
Easter is ranked highly on the religious calendar thanks to the story of Jesus Christ dying on a cross on Good Friday, only to rise from the grave on Easter Sunday.
St George North's Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Bexley North, senior minister the Reverend Phil Colgan said Easter was the most important occasion in the church year.
"We try and get people to move from the trappings of the chocolate eggs," he said.
"God sent his son into the world to save sinners. Dying for our sins and rising again gave us hope and life."
For Monsignor Henryk Micek, of St Patrick's Catholic Church, Kogarah, the central meanings of Easter are about Christ redeeming the world from its sins and forgiveness.
"There is new life that came after Jesus died; he rose to new life, that is what we celebrate at Easter, the new life that is given to us — the gift of redemption,"
- Monsignor Henryk Micek
"There is new life that came after Jesus died; he rose to new life, that is what we celebrate at Easter, the new life that is given to us — the gift of redemption," he said.
Caringbah Uniting Church minister, the Reverend Bill Clarke, said the theme of forgiveness shone through the Easter message and he encouraged people to take this message on board rather than let grievances fester inside them.
The parish priest at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Caringbah, Monsignor Kerry Bayada, said the real meaning of Easter was that "Jesus, son of God, gave his life so that we might be forgiven all our sins".
The pain and suffering of Good Friday showed people how much he loved them, Monsignor Bayada said.
By rising again, Christ allowed people to enjoy the fullness of life and was an invitation for people to respond to the love of God as expressed through Jesus.
Rockdale Uniting Church minister, the Reverend Martin Goodwin, said part of the meaning of Easter was the sacrifice Christ showed by dying for people.
The lesson was that people should not be indiscriminate with their love — "even when showing love hurts".
Father John Doherty, of St Joseph's Catholic Church, Oatley, said at Easter Christians should experience the season "in a very intense way", especially on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday.
St Luke's Anglican Church, Miranda, assistant minister Daniel Bidwell said that apart from the cross, resurrection was "the central image of Easter".
The Easter story will be told on Sunday through a dramatisation of Bible readings at Engadine Town Square with the Congregational Church, the Community Church, the Church of Christ, the Baptist Church and the Anglican Church joining together for the occasion.
How will you mark Easter?
