I must admit that when I think of carols what first comes to mind are songs associated with Christmas and I was surprised to find out that there were songs classified as ‘Easter carols’!

Although Christmas carols are more popular than Easter ones, their words are meaningful and carry the Easter message that is very valued by Christians.

Every year, on Good Friday evening, Christians gather in churches in many parts of the world with a united goal in mind; to honour God for his redemptive salvation plan. Singing songs is one important form of worship and any Easter service will not be complete without them.

Easter carols illustrate the message of Jesus Christ’s coming to earth, his death and resurrection on the third day.

When Christians sing these songs, they are reminded that He came to forgive them for all their wrongdoing, thereby giving them a clean slate and reconciling them with God. When Christ was crucified, he took on all the transgressions of the world.

Easter carols allow Christians to be authentic with God; the words are introspective and prompt a reflective thought process. Unlike other man invented things for Easter, carols do not divert from the true meaning of Easter; it does not divert the mind towards material objects and myths, such as the Easter bunny, but rather focuses the mind on the true reason to celebrate Easter—our new life in Christ’s resurrection.

Not only are Easter carols sung at church, they are transmitted on television and radio stations. The Easter song by Keith Green narrates a significant part of the Easter story, while impacting listeners and providing them the opportunity to appreciate the true meaning of Easter.

"The angel on the tombstone
Said he has risen, just as he said,
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead.”

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