Easter is celebrated across the world as one of the most significant Christian holy days. At Easter, we remember not only the great sacrifice of Jesus on the cross but especially that through His triumph over the power of sin and death we can have eternal life.

Across the centuries of American history, our leaders have reminded us of the importance of Easter. Noah Webster, author of America’s first English-language dictionary, defined Easter: “A festival of the Christian church observed in commemoration of our Savior’s resurrection.”

Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration, pointed out how Jesus’ resurrection not only redeemed man to God but also to each other, noting:

He forgave the crime of murder on His cross; and after His resurrection, He commanded His disciples to preach the gospel of forgiveness, first at Jerusalem, where He well knew His murderers still resided. These striking facts are recorded for our imitation and seem intended to show that the Son of God died, not only to reconcile God to man but to reconcile men to each other.

President Franklin Roosevelt saw in Easter a clear message for youth. Addressing a group of young people in 1936, he told them:

Yesterday, Christendom celebrated Easter—the anniversary of the Resurrection of Our Lord Who, at the beginning of His ministry was thirty years of age and at His death was only thirty-three. Christianity began with youth, and through the last two thousand years, the spirit of youth repeatedly has revitalized it.

Easter is a special day of joy and rejoicing. As early American clergyman Phillips Brooks accurately noted, because of Easter “Let every man and woman count himself immortal. Let him catch the revelation of Jesus in His resurrection. Let him say not merely, ‘Christ is risen,’ but ‘I shall rise’.” Indeed!