Easter, also called Pascha, is the most important religious feast in the Christian liturgical year . It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, which Christians believe occurred on the third day after his crucifixion around AD 33. Many non-religious cultural elements have become part of the holiday, and those aspects are often celebrated by many Christians and non-Christians alike.
Eggs, like rabbits and hares, are fertility symbols of extreme antiquity ; since birds lay eggs and rabbits and hares give birth (to large litters) in the early spring, these became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the Vernal Equinox .
In many historically Christian countries, the buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday , with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion . They are believed by some to pre-date Christianity , although the first recorded use of the term "hot cross bun" is not until 1733.