Easter celebration begins across country

The Easter celebration has begun on Friday across the country through marking the Good Friday in various manners.

People already started wearing new Easter clothes and exchanging gifts and greeting cards.

All the government, semi-government and private offices including bank and post office remained closed from Friday.

Markets and shopping malls will decide their own opening hours as retail opening hours have been de-regulated during the recent years.

Most of the shopping malls remained closed while groceries remain open during the holidays.

However, the state-owned alcohol monopoly Alko will open on Saturday for the first time.

People are scheduled to lit Easter bonfires on Saturday at many places particularly in the capital and adjoining areas. Bonfire originated from an old belief of turning the witches aside.

Different organisations will arrange various programmes on Saturday evening where the children are expected to wear special Easter dress and visit door to door with the greetings of the Easter.

Easter Sunday will be observed all over the country on the last day of the week as elsewhere the globe commemorating the religious believe of Christian community about Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead after his crucifixion.

According to Christianity, Easter culminates the passion of Jesus which is preceded by the season of Lent, a forty-day period of fasting, prayer and penance.

Easter Day will be celebrated in the Christian world as a festival marking Jesus rose from the dead and lives forever.

Jesus had told his followers before his arrest that he would be crucified and on the third day he would rise from the dead. Sunday is the third day from the Good Friday.