In the Christian calendar, what is the week before Easter, historically a time of abstinence from eating flesh, drinking wine and carrying on business?
Holy Week week and Easter Sunday liturgies attract the biggest crowds of the year. Many cultures have different traditions like Easter eggs to echo the theme of resurrection. Holy Week in the Christian year is the week immediately before Easter. The earliest allusion to the custom of marking this week as a whole with special observances is to be found in the Apostolical Constitutions (v. 18, 19), dating from the latter half of the 3rd century and 4th century. In this text, abstinence from flesh is commanded for all the days, while for the Friday and Saturday an absolute fast is commanded.
Easter Week day before Easter), rather than the Saturday following Easter. While the first day of Easter Week is called "Easter Day" or "Easter Sunday", the other days in the week may be designated according to any of the following patterns: (1) "Monday of Easter Week" (e.g. in the Church of England's "Common Worship" calendar), (2) "Monday in Easter Week" (e.g., in the Anglican Church's "Book of Common Prayer" calendar), or (3) "Easter Monday". In former years, Easter, as the most important celebration in Christianity, was observed for a week, and it still is celebrated in the liturgy of the Roman Catholic