Why don't Christians observe Passover and other biblical holidays?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Passover isn’t connected to the Old Testament as much as it’s connected to Jewish history.

It’s the story of the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Why would Christians care about it?

Because Jesus celebrated it and it was what was celebrated at the Last Supper.

And, thus, repeated at every Mass.

[Anonymous]

Some of us do! What do you think Orthodox Easter and Good Friday are about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Passover isn’t connected to the Old Testament as much as it’s connected to Jewish history.

It’s the story of the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Why would Christians care about it?

Because Jesus celebrated it and it was what was celebrated at the Last Supper.

And, thus, repeated at every Mass.

Mass recalls the event (remembers it) not celebrates it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of us do! What do you think Orthodox Easter and Good Friday are about?

Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified.

Passover celebrates the freeing of Israelite from slavery.

So, no we don't celebrate Passover on Good Friday.

[Anonymous]

In one sense, the Eucharistic sects do: the Eucharist is a re-enactment of the Passover meal that Jesus celebrated with his disciples before his crucifixion.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "By celebrating the Last Supper with his apostles in the course of the Passover meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus' passing over to his father by his death and Resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipated in the Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the kingdom."

In another sense, we don't celebrate Passover because we believe it has been superseded or supplanted by Easter.

Some Christian denominations and sects DO celebrate some Jewish/OT holidays. And many of them are referenced in the Gospels, because Jesus observed them, and so they are memorialized in the liturgical cycle.

Other holidays have been adapted or subsumed. For example, Pentecost is based on Shavuot. Pentecost celebrates the birth of the Church, when thousands of Jews were in Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot, and heard Peter and the disciples speaking in their own language.

But because Christianity broke with Judaism, it didn't maintain the holidays that Jews celebrated -- it had its own. And because Jews were subject to severe persecution by Christians, it might not be in the best of taste for Christians to start celebrating Jewish holidays as their own. Learn about them, sure. Participate in them in respectful ways, maybe. But not just take them over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do we know why what we call Jewish holidays such as Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot, all of which are connected the Old Testament, are not observed by Christians as well?

Well, a lot of evangelicals have started observing Passover (and probably the other holidays), somewhat controversially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Passover isn’t connected to the Old Testament as much as it’s connected to Jewish history.

It’s the story of the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Why would Christians care about it?



I'm not a practicing Christian any more, but as a child, I was fascinated by that story and it's definitely in the Old Testament. I suppose the answer to OP's question is that anything related to the Jews cannot be celebrated since in the view of some Christians, supported by the Gospels, Jesus was ultimately betrayed by a group of them, and Christianity is all about Christ. Stupid, but there you go.



Well, at least some Christians believe we Jews killed Jesus so ... yeah ...

That was a fun thing to be told when I was 7!

Anyone who thinks this should re-read their bible. Pilate was not Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Catholics and Lutherans absolutely do observe Passover.

Catholics observe Easter, not Passover.

[Anonymous]

I went to Seder dinners in my Catholic Church growing up. Church was huge part of community, and there were always various types of dinners in the church hall, and a passover seder was one of them. It was interesting. I Liked the mint jelly. Maybe it only happened a few times, and maybe it was a learning/cultural exploration thing, but it definitely happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Catholics and Lutherans absolutely do observe Passover.

Catholics observe Passover? Like, they have a Seder? I have never in my life heard that.

Our Catholic parish hosts and annual Passover Seder. We’ve even had a rabbi even attend before. It’s wonderful as it reinforces our connection to Judaism in a real way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Catholics and Lutherans absolutely do observe Passover.

Catholics observe Easter, not Passover.

As an official feast day, you are correct. However many parishes host seders during Holy Week. Just google it.

[Anonymous]

I grew up Catholic. Some parishes observed Passover, others did not.
It boils down to the gentile or Jew debate. For a time, many believed only Jews could be Christian. However, many teachings of the apostles point to stories where Jesus welcomed anyone into his flock. Corinthians is clear the a Christian is not based on parentage, but is one who accepts Christ as their Savior.
To be Jewish, you must be descended from Isaac, son of Abraham.
Therefore, Jewish holidays are not officially observed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Catholics and Lutherans absolutely do observe Passover.

Catholics observe Passover? Like, they have a Seder? I have never in my life heard that.

OK, maybe "observe" wasn't the right word. "Mark," "recognize," "celebrate," "acknowledge," "do-stuff-on-and-for," take your pick.

My Catholic church growing up (Indiana in the 1980s/90s) always did relevant readings and a soup supper that was open to the community, so it was both a social event and a service event. It was all vegetarian fare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Catholics and Lutherans absolutely do observe Passover.

Catholics observe Easter, not Passover.

You are incorrect. You are being very literal and hung up on the word "observe." The word "observe" in the sense of "aware of/marking/do-stuff-for-and-on/celebrate/acknowledge/take the opportunity to read and reflect" is what I mean.

[Anonymous]

I'd love to observe Passover. It's one of my favorites. I haven't ever celebrated Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah, but I always felt those were more observed in Temple? Most years, Jewish friends invite me to a Seder, so I feel like I've been celebrating it all along. As a kid I liked the story of Passover a lot too.

My church has always had a Seder and I know my inlaws evangelical church (in an area with zero Jews) has Seders too. I prefer attending one at a Jewish friend's home though. I think the ritual and story is really interesting, I like how everyone participates in reading and love all the wine! Not Manischewitz, they can give that to the kids. There really isn't another holiday that's similar.