Paschal

views updated May 29 2018

Paschal (Aramaic, pasḥa, ‘Passover’). Of or relating to the Jewish Passover or more usually the Christian Easter. ‘Paschaltide’, or Eastertide, is the period in the Christian year from Easter to Pentecost. The ‘paschal candle’ is a large candle used in W. churches during Paschaltide.

paschal

views updated May 18 2018

paschal of or relating to Easter or to the Jewish Passover. The word comes (in late Middle English) from Old French, from ecclesiastical Latin paschalis, from pascha ‘feast of Passover’, via Greek and Aramaic from Hebrew Pesaḥ ‘Passover’.
paschal candle a large candle blessed and lighted in the service of Holy Saturday and placed by the altar until Pentecost or (formerly) Ascension Day.
Paschal Lamb Christ; allusively, from the term for a lamb sacrificed at Passover.
Paschaltide in the Christian Church, the period following Easter Sunday.

paschal

views updated Jun 11 2018

pas·chal / ˈpaskəl/ • adj. formal 1. of or relating to Easter.2. of or relating to the Jewish Passover.

paschal

views updated Jun 11 2018

paschal XV. — (O)F. pascal — ecclL. paschālis, f. pascha Passover, Easter — Gr. páskhā — Aram. pasḥā, rel. to Heb. pesaḥ PASSOVER.

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