The empty cross in most Protestant churches is a potent reminder of a dearly held belief.
Jesus Christ doesn't hang there anymore.He is risen, resurrected to new life.
That cross symbolizes the promise of new life to these believers. Eternal life. And it is, perhaps, the perfect symbol for them of a religious holiday that celebrates the resurrection.
Easter is a holiday replete with symbols, legends and an admittedly colorful history.
It became a holy celebration in the second century but was celebrated before that as the pagan festival of spring. According to some sources, Easter became a religious holiday only because the early missionaries hoped to convert the pagan celebrants to Christianity. They chose to spread their message of faith throughout the populations by taking many of the traditions of the Christian observance of the Resurrection of Christ, which occurred at roughly the same time of year, and folding it into the formerly pagan feast of Eastre.
Not all churches have lots of symbols. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which heartily celebrates the meaning of Easter, "is not particularly big on symbolism in everyday worship in weekly meetings," said church spokesman Dale Bills. "But there's one powerful thing for us in relationship to atonement and resurrection of the Savior. That's the weekly taking of the sacrament, the symbolism of the bread and water, the meaning of which is powerful and well-known. With other traditional symbols of Easter, there's not a lot of Latter-day Saints faith connection."
No other holiday has more symbolism attached to it, probably because so many believe it is the holiest time of the year.
Take the Easter lily. They're popular at Easter, in large part, because their beautiful white flowers are said to embody "purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life," qualities that are the "spiritual essence of Easter," according to the extension service at Texas A&M University.
The Bible refers to the Easter lilies. They are sometimes called the "white-robed apostles of hope," because they were reportedly found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ's agony.
Easter lilies will be found this Sunday in many churches, massed around altars and crosses, a symbol of Christ's love and a nod to the legend that the flowers grow in the spots where drops of Christ's sweat fell to the ground in his final hours of sorrow.
Like so many of the season's symbols, they commemorate both the resurrection and hope of life everlasting. Butterflies convey a similar image, because their own life cycles demonstrate seeming death and new, transformed life.
The lamb is a symbol of Christ and Jesus is associated with the paschal lamb in Exodus. The angel of death passed over the Israelites because of the blood of the Passover lamb. And Jesus, in the Bible, was called the "Lamb of God" by John the Baptist.
For Catholics, one of the most enduring and endearing symbols of Easter comes from the pascal candle, said Maxine Kaiser, director of Liturgy for the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake. The "new fire" is used to light the Pascal candle, which then lights the candles of the celebrants. It's new light -- and life. Fresh starts, forgiveness, faith.
Running water has significance because it is "lifegiving," said Kaiser. Baptism is "symbolic of being plunged into Christ and coming out a new person."
The neophytes -- those who are newly baptized during the Easter Vigil -- are a symbol of purity and faith, "the new life we should all remember that we have been given," said Kaiser.
None of those symbols lose their meanings in other seasons, either.
The Rev. Ron Hodges, pastor of Christ United Methodist Church, says the empty tomb, while "harder to draw" is a "clarion statement" that symbolizes the hope and belief that life doesn't end here. That Christ went on to a new life, and so will believers.
He sees new life in the young bunnies and young chicks, which are so popular on Easter Sunday.
New life is a recurrent theme when you talk about Easter.
The Rev. Hodges believes those symbols serve a purpose.
"Any sign that comes to us that speaks of new life, new hope, a new beginning, a new future gets incorporated into our presentation of what it's about," the Rev. Hodges said. "Without Easter, there would not be any other statement to be made about that group of folks called Christians."
Not all of the symbols of Easter are Christian in origin. The Easter Bunny originated from Eastre, the goddess of fertility hailed in the pagan festival. Anglo-Saxons worshiped her earthly symbol, the rabbit.
Ditto the tradition of "Easter eggs," which have for thousands of years in nearly that many cultures symbolized life, spring and "more to come."