Asfandyar Yahya

Okay, let&rsquo;s be honest. Why does a rabbit&mdash;a mammal&mdash;deliver eggs? Biologically, it&rsquo;s a disaster. But historically? It&rsquo;s a fascinating 400-year-old mystery that connects German courtrooms, French emperors, and the streets of Karachi. This is How Easter is celebrated across the globe and let me surprise you with how its celebrated in Pakistan. It all began in 17th-century Germany with something called the &ldquo;Osterhase,&rdquo; or Easter Hare. But this bunny wasn&rsquo;t just cute &mdash; it was actually believed to judge children, deciding who had been good or bad before giving out colorful eggs, kind of like a springtime Santa. And why eggs? During the 40 days of Lent, people weren&rsquo;t allowed to eat eggs. So they boiled them to keep them from spoiling, then decorated them to celebrate when the fasting period finally ended. France: In the town of Bessi&egrave;res, they cook a giant omelet with 15,000 eggs&mdash;legend says Napoleon started it. Norway: They celebrate by... reading murder mysteries? It&rsquo;s called P&aring;skekrimmen. Bermuda: They fly colorful kites to symbolize the Ascension. Australia: They actually swapped the bunny for the Easter Bilby because wild rabbits were hurting their environment. But here in Pakistan, its celebrated a little differently. Head to Saddar in Karachi. Historic spots like Misquita, United, and Crispo Bakery have been doing this since 1948. People queue up at 2 AM for Hot Cross Buns&mdash;spiced with cinnamon and topped with a biscuit cross. And What&rsquo;s truly beautiful is the overlap. In years like this, where Lent meets Ramadan, we saw &quot;Interfaith Iftars&quot;. Christians and Muslims breaking fast together with pakoras, dates, and Rooh Afza. It&rsquo;s a uniquely Pakistani synthesis of faith and community. So, whether it&rsquo;s a jeweled Faberg&eacute; egg in Russia or a simple marzipan egg in Lahore, the message is the same. Behind the chocolate and the folklore, Easter is about one thing: Hope. The triumph of life over death.

Tell Me Why

Tell me why - Easter Eggs

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged &quot;those who have the power to unleash wars&quot; to &quot;choose peace&quot; in his first Easter blessing as pontiff with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-37" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Middle East conflict</a>&nbsp;raging. Catholics around the world marked the holiday under the shadow of a war that began with US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28. It has drawn the entire whole region into the conflict while convulsing the global economy. &quot;We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent. Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people,&quot; the pope told a crowd in St Peter&#39;s Square. The leader of the world&#39;s 1.4 billion Catholics, who was elected in May 2025, also called for a prayer vigil at the Vatican on April 11. He paid tribute to his predecessor pope Francis who last appeared in public on Easter Sunday last year &ndash; a few hours before his death. Leo has repeatedly called for peace in the Middle East and this week directly urged US President Donald Trump to find an &quot;off-ramp&quot;. On Sunday, he spoke of &quot;a world ravaged by wars and marked by a hatred and indifference that make us feel powerless in the face of evil&quot;. In Jerusalem, there was silence in the alleyways of the Old City, left deserted by Israel&#39;s war on Gaza and now wider the Middle East conflict. Israeli authorities have severely restricted access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where the faithful commemorate Christ&#39;s crucifixion and resurrection, because of security considerations. On routes approaching the church, police checkpoints screened a small number of worshippers allowed near the site. All shops in the area were closed, heightening the sense of emptiness. &quot;It&#39;s very hard for all of us because it&#39;s our holiday... It&#39;s really hard to want to pray but to come here and find nothing. Everything is closed,&quot; said Christina Toderas, 44, from Romania. Otmar Wassermann, 65, had also attempted to enter the Holy Sepulchre but failed. &quot;I must say I was somewhat frustrated,&quot; he told AFP, recalling how the feast is generally celebrated every year. &nbsp;&#39;Situation is tragic&#39; &quot;The doors are still closed,&quot; the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said in his Easter Vigil homily at the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/easter-in-jerusalem-disrupted-by-war-and-restrictions-at-holy-sepulchre" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Holy Sepulchre</a>. Pizzaballa was prevented by Israeli police from holding mass in the church last Sunday, an incident that sparked international indignation. &quot;The silence is almost absolute, broken perhaps by the distant sound of what war continues to sow in this holy and torn land,&quot; he said, according to a text of his sermon issued by his office. In Lebanon, majority Christian areas in the south of the country are caught in the crossfire as <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/lebanon-says-46-rescuers-5-medical-staff-killed-in-israelhezbollah-war" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Israel repeatedly strikes</a> the country. In Debel, close to the Israeli border, inhabitants marked Easter Sunday against the sound of bombardment around their village, now almost totally cut off from the world and dependent on aid deliveries. &quot;The situation is tragic,&quot; town notable Joseph Attieh told AFP by phone. &quot;People are terrified, and the sound of shelling and gunfire has not stopped for a moment since last night. We haven&#39;t been able to sleep. &quot;We are putting our trust in God,&quot; Attieh said, since &quot;this is the only glimmer of hope we will not give up on&quot;. The war has also impacted the lives of Christian minorities in other parts of the Middle East. In Dubai, masses have been cancelled until further notice as a security precaution. In Damascus, Catholic authorities said Easter celebrations would be restricted to mass following an attack on a Christian town in central Syria.

Pope Leo XIV greets people at the end of the Easter vigil as part of the Holy Week celebrations, at St Peter's basilica in the Vatican on April 4, 2026. (AFP)

Middle East

Europe

Pope Leo XIV urged world leaders to choose peace in his first Easter blessing amid Middle East war, as conflict disrupted Holy Land services and cast a shadow on global Easter observances.

'Choose peace': Pope marks first Easter under cloud of Mideast war

JERUSALEM: In the usually lively alleyways of Jerusalem&#39;s Old City, silence reigned on <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistani-pm-extends-easter-greetings-reaffirms-commitment-to-minority-rights" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Easter Sunday</a>, with the holiday overshadowed by war and restrictions on access to the Holy Sepulchre, where the faithful commemorate Christ&#39;s crucifixion and resurrection. On routes approaching the church, where Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and rose from the dead, police at checkpoints screened a small number of worshippers allowed near the site. All shops in the area were closed, heightening the sense of emptiness. &quot;Happy Easter,&quot; said the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/israel-preventing-mass-by-jerusalems-latin-patriarch-an-offence-to-the-faithful-italy" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem</a>, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, shortly after dawn as he entered the church surrounded by a modest group of clergy, according to AFP journalists at the site. Outside, a few Catholics and Orthodox Christians tried to reach the church but were kept at a distance by security forces. &quot;How can you tell me I cannot go to church, it is unacceptable,&quot; said one Catholic from Tel Aviv who had attended Easter worship at the site in previous years. Security has been stepped up in the Old City, located in annexed east Jerusalem and home to sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Israel has also imposed restrictions on large gatherings as a security precaution due to the constant threat of strikes during the ongoing <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-37" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Middle East war</a>. On Palm Sunday, Cardinal Pizzaballa was prevented by Israeli police from entering the Holy Sepulchre for mass, provoking outrage, before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered he be allowed in. &quot;In this land where the story began... we continue to steadfastly protect the freedom of worship for all faiths, especially at this sacred time,&quot; Netanyahu said in a message marking Easter. &#39;Hard for all of us&#39; Most Palestinian Christians belong to the Orthodox faith, which celebrates Easter on April 12. But for many other Christians, the curbs on worship have stripped Sunday&#39;s Easter celebrations of substance. &quot;It&#39;s very hard for all of us because it&#39;s our holiday... It&#39;s really hard to want to pray but to come here and find nothing. Everything is closed,&quot; said Christina Toderas, 44, from Romania. Like many other worshippers, she had resigned herself to watching the mass at the Holy Sepulchre on television. Otmar Wassermann had also attempted to enter the Holy Sepulchre but failed. &quot;I must say I was somewhat frustrated,&quot; he told AFP, recalling how the feast is generally celebrated every year. &quot;The atmosphere is incredible,&quot; Wassermann said, noting the music in particular. &quot;People who go there, they have deep faith.&quot; Father Bernard Poggi, who was preparing to attend mass in another church near the holy site, also said he understood the security measures but added that &quot;it seems to be more and more that there&#39;s an unevenness in how the laws are put into practice&quot;. Inside the Holy Sepulchre, the celebrations were being held behind closed doors in front of a very small congregation, a far cry from the crowds that usually gather. Around the Old City, where hymns and processions usually dominate at Easter, only whispers could be heard among the faithful moving discreetly through its passages. &quot;It is really sad. I just hope the war stops,&quot; said Julio Makhalfeh, a 25-year-old restaurant manager. &quot;We had enough of all this. It is time to bring some normalcy back in our life.&quot;

In this handout picture released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem media office, Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, enters the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the old city of Jerusalem on April 5, 2025 to lead Easter Sunday Mass. (AFP

Easter in Jerusalem's Old City was subdued as security restrictions limited worshippers at the Holy Sepulchre. Shops closed, processions canceled, and faithful watched services on television..

Easter in Jerusalem disrupted by war and restrictions at Holy Sepulchre

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have extended their greetings to Christian citizens across the country and Christian communities worldwide on the occasion of Easter.&nbsp;In his message, the president highlighted the core values of Easter, describing it as a day symbolizing compassion, hope, renewal, rebirth, rejuvenation, redemption, and the triumph of life over death and good over evil.&nbsp;He noted that in Pakistan, these values are visible in everyday life, with Christian men and women contributing actively in schools, hospitals, public services, and the armed forces.&nbsp;Families mark the occasion through prayers and gatherings, often alongside neighbors of different faiths, reflecting harmony and mutual respect.&nbsp;The president also recalled the historic role of S. P. Singha, the Christian Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, in the creation of Pakistan, as well as the heroism of Cecil Chaudhry during the 1965 war. He commended the community&rsquo;s ongoing contribution to national development, particularly in education, healthcare, national defense, and social services.&nbsp;Echoing the message of equality set by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the state&rsquo;s commitment to ensuring the rights, protection, and welfare of all citizens, including minority communities.&nbsp;He emphasized that a stable and strong society depends on the respect and responsibility with which citizens treat one another in daily life, workplaces, neighborhoods, and institutions.&nbsp;Both leaders wished Pakistani Christians a blessed and joyous Easter, urging the nation to celebrate the spirit of hope, unity, and mutual respect.

Culture

The president highlights core values of Easter, describing it as a day symbolizing compassion, hope, renewal, rebirth, rejuvenation, redemption, and the triumph of life over death and good over evil.

Pakistan president, PM extend Easter greetings, reaffirm commitment to minority rights

Simran Siraj

KARACHI: As dusk settled over Saint Patrick&rsquo;s Cathedral, four young volunteers arranged chairs for the evening vigil, their quiet coordination punctuated by a familiar seasonal aroma drifting through the air. Warm raisins, cinnamon and fresh yeast. For many gathered near the cathedral, Easter in Karachi is inseparable from a ritual just a short walk away. Just two streets down, outside Misquita Bakery, customers clutched paper bags heavy with freshly baked hot cross buns, their warmth still escaping into the evening air. The bakery, a Saddar institution, produces the spiced loaves only once a year, a tradition that has endured for more than six decades. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the most iconic Easter treat,&rdquo; one volunteer told Pakistan TV Digital, gesturing toward the bustling bakery. Each spring, the scene repeats itself: long queues, hurried exchanges and the unmistakable scent of spice-laced bread. At the center of it all is a single, symbolic loaf, the hot cross bun. For those waiting patiently, the experience is as much about memory as it is about taste. &ldquo;The thing very famous here is their hot cross buns,&rdquo; said Christopher Miranda, a long-time patron. &ldquo;They are famous all over the world. Not only in Karachi or Pakistan, people even freeze them and send them abroad. The taste is just very nice.&rdquo; For Miranda, the buns are more than a seasonal indulgence; they mark a moment in time. &ldquo;These buns are significant. We buy them once a year. They are only had on Good Friday. It&rsquo;s a very old tradition that pulls all our people over here.&rdquo; A legacy baked in spice and memory Inside the bakery, preparation begins weeks in advance. According to Tanzim, the manager, the demand shows no sign of slowing. &ldquo;We have been making hot cross buns here for about 60 to 70 years,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The demand is unlimited. Customers are always lined up, and sometimes we can&rsquo;t even meet the full demand.&rdquo; The recipe, however, remains closely guarded. A blend of spices and techniques passed down through generations. &ldquo;We have a specific formula. We add many different spices into it. That is how the preparation is done,&rdquo; Tanzim explained. Beyond the ingredients, he added, the buns carry a deeper cultural meaning. &ldquo;Just as we Muslims visit each other&rsquo;s homes during our festivals and bring sweets, similarly, the community gifts each other hot cross buns during this festival.&rdquo; For families, the ritual spans generations. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been taking these buns from Misquita Bakery for many, many years, from my childhood, in fact,&rdquo; said Sarah, balancing several bags. &ldquo;Now my children are eating them, and my grandchildren. I&rsquo;m so happy that every year we get a chance to buy them.&rdquo; Others echo the same loyalty. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been coming here for the past 25 years,&rdquo; said Roger Anthony. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve tried other places also, but these are exceptional.&rdquo;

Golden buns bind Karachi in timeless Easter ritual tradition.

In Karachi, Misquita Bakery draws Easter crowds with its once-a-year hot cross buns, a 60-year tradition blending faith, family, and flavour, as generations gather to share and celebrate the seasonal ritual.

Golden buns bind Karachi in timeless Easter ritual tradition

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday extended Good Friday greetings to the Christian community at home and abroad, emphasizing the values of compassion, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Prime Minister Sharif in a post on X on Friday stated: &quot;On the occasion of Good Friday, I extend sincere greetings to our brothers and sisters of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-extends-heartfelt-greetings-on-joyous-blessed-christmas" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christian community</a>&nbsp;in Pakistan and members of the Christian faith across the world.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039943098672025844&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=cf1149a8b3beaafec088d9fab9bb7e3150ffa371&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;May this sacred day, marked by sacrifice and reflection, strengthen our shared commitment to compassion, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence,&quot; the prime minister added.

Says, ​'May this sacred day, marked by sacrifice and reflection, strengthen our shared commitment to compassion, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence'. 

Articles tagged with "Easter"

Tell me why - Easter Eggs

'Choose peace': Pope marks first Easter under cloud of Mideast war

Easter in Jerusalem disrupted by war and restrictions at Holy Sepulchre

Pakistan president, PM extend Easter greetings, reaffirm commitment to minority rights

Golden buns bind Karachi in timeless Easter ritual tradition

Pakistan PM extends Good Friday greetings, urges compassion and tolerance