St. Anatolius of Laodicea (Feast Day July 3)

d. July 3, 283

Also known as Anatolios of Alexandria, Anatolius was the Bishop of Laodicea in Roman Syria in the year 268. He was a praised scientist, philosopher, and mathematician. It is told that during a rebellion against the Romans in Bruchium, Alexandria, Anatolius acted as a peacemaker. The area was under siege, and rebels and citizens alike were starving. Anatolius negotiated with the Romans to release the children, women, elderly and the sick.

Around 260, Anatolius invented the first Metonic 19-year lunar cycle. For this, he is considered the founder of the new Alexandrian computes paschalis, which is a calculation used to determine the date on which the Church celebrates Easter!

• For Mary, Peter, and John, seeing the empty tomb on that first Easter Sunday morning must have been the biggest surprise of their life! What is the biggest surprise you have ever had?

• What do you think it was like for Jesus to be raised from the dead?

• What does Jesus' resurrection mean for us?

• St. Anatolius of Laodicea was best known for mathematics, but he had other great skills, like peacekeeping. What is a skill or talent people may not know that you have?

Empty Easter Egg Hunt

The empty Easter egg symbolizes the empty tomb.

Hide plastic Easter eggs filled with small treats (candy, coins, notes of encouragement) around your home or yard. Leave one egg empty. When this egg is found, talk about how the empty egg symbolizes the empty tomb, and that the Resurrection is the greatest treasure humanity has. Place the empty egg somewhere on display in your home to remind your family of the true meaning of Easter.

Egg Salad with Pickled Celery and Dijon

Turn your leftover Easter eggs into this delicious egg salad. This serves 4-6 people so double it for more people.

For the pickled celery:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 whole clove (optional)
1 ½ tsp granulated sugar
2 stalks celery, trimmed, diced tiny

For the Salad:
8 large, hard-boiled eggs
2 heaped tsp whole-grain Dijon or 1 heaped tsp of regular Dijon
1 Tbsp minced shallot or red onion
¼ cup mayonnaise or full-fat plain yogurt
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh dill (garnish, optional)

Pickle the celery by combining the vinegar, water, salt, clove, and sugar in a jar and shake it until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add diced celery to jar, cover it and place in the fridge for at least one hour, and up to one week. Peel the eggs and chop them, placing them in a medium bowl. Add 2 heaped tablespoons of pickled celery, Dijon, shallot, mayo, salt and pepper and mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on toasted whole grain bread and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Sequence for Easter

The Easter sequence is an ancient prayer that is read or sung before the Gospel on Easter Sunday and may be repeated throughout the Octave of Easter. Make this your family prayer today. You may consider finding a YouTube video of the sequence to listen to a chanted version of the prayer.

Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
"The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus' resurrection;
Bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you."
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!

Amen. Alleluia.

Incense is often used at Mass on Easter. It is burned in a metal censer called a thurible. 

At what point during Mass was incense used today?

In the next week, read the account of Jesus' resurrection in all four Gospels. You can find them in Matthew 28:1-15, Mark 16: 1-13, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-31.

The celebration of Easter is eight days long. It is called the Octave of Easter, and it is the greatest week of the Church year.