Easter Prayer
Easter is the oldest and highest feast of the Christian year — the day the tomb was found empty and everything Christian faith stands on became possible. An Easter prayer names what the day is: the death of death, the vindication of Jesus, the beginning of a hope no grave can hold.
On this page you'll find original Easter prayers for use on Easter Sunday morning, at an Easter dinner or supper, at the Easter Vigil, at a family gathering, and in the quiet before dawn. You'll also find Easter Scripture readings and short prayers that pair with them, plus answers to common questions about how Catholics and Protestants pray on Easter.
A Prayer for Easter Sunday Morning
Risen Lord, before the world is fully awake, I want the first words of this day to be Yours. He is not here — He is risen. Thank You for the empty tomb and for the morning we are still waking up to. Let the joy of this day reach into the parts of my life that most needed the news, and let me carry it out the door into everyone I meet today. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Amen.
An Easter Blessing for a Meal or Family Table
Lord Jesus, we gather at this table on the day You conquered death. Bless the food and the hands that prepared it. Bless the people around this table and the ones we wish were here. Turn this ordinary meal into a small foretaste of the feast You are preparing. We eat with thanksgiving, because You are alive. Amen.
A Short Easter Vigil Prayer
Christ our light — the darkness is lifting. Let the Easter candle you kindle in every heart tonight burn steady until the day of Your return. Amen.
An Easter Sunrise Prayer
Father, You showed the empty tomb first to a woman who came to grieve. Meet me in whatever grief I brought into this dawn, and let the news that first met her meet me too. Let this sunrise stand for the one I am still waiting for in every stubborn corner of my life. Amen.
A Longer Easter Prayer for the Whole Day
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, on this day I bless You for the resurrection that changed the world. I bless You that Jesus went to the cross without flinching, and that on the third day He walked out of the tomb. I bless You that death is not the last word for anyone I love who has died in Christ, and that it will not be the last word for me. Where I have been living as if this day did not happen, forgive me. Where hope has gone thin, thicken it. Where fear has taken more room than it should, drive it back with the news of the empty tomb. Let this Easter be more than a day on the calendar; let it settle into me and remake the ordinary weeks that follow. Give me a bright Easter table today, and a still-bright Easter faith next Wednesday. Thank You for Jesus, alive forever, and for the promise that where He is, we one day will be also. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Amen.
A Catholic Easter Prayer of Thanksgiving
Lord Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, we thank You for the Paschal Mystery — Your suffering, death, and resurrection for our sake. Through the intercession of Mary, who kept vigil at the cross and was among the first to hear the news, help us to live the resurrection every day of this Easter season. Amen.
Scripture to pray
But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay."— Matthew 28:5–6 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).— John 20:15–16 (ESV)
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.— 1 Corinthians 15:20–22 (ESV)
We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.— Romans 6:9 (ESV)
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Easter prayer?
A good Easter prayer names the day for what it is — the resurrection of Jesus — and asks Him to bring that news into today's ordinary life. "Risen Lord, thank You for the empty tomb. Let the joy of this day reach into everything I am carrying, and let me carry it out the door into everyone I meet" is one example. The longer prayers above expand that into forms for the morning, the meal, and the vigil.
What is an Easter blessing before a meal?
Try: "Lord Jesus, we gather at this table on the day You conquered death. Bless the food and the hands that prepared it. Bless the people around this table and the ones we wish were here. Turn this ordinary meal into a small foretaste of the feast You are preparing. We eat with thanksgiving, because You are alive. Amen." It works for Sunday brunch, a family Easter dinner, or an Easter supper.
What are Catholic prayers for Easter?
Catholics pray many prayers on Easter — the Regina Caeli (which replaces the Angelus during the Easter season), the Divine Mercy Chaplet on Divine Mercy Sunday, and traditional prayers of thanksgiving for the Paschal Mystery. The Catholic Easter prayer of thanksgiving above is one modern form. Many Catholic families also pray a family Rosary on Easter, praying the Glorious Mysteries (which begin with the Resurrection).
What are Bible verses for Easter?
The most common Easter readings are Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20 (the resurrection accounts); 1 Corinthians 15 (the theology of the resurrection); and Romans 6 (baptism into Christ's death and resurrection). Isaiah 25:8 and Revelation 21:4 ("He will wipe away every tear") are often paired with them. Several are quoted above.
How do I pray on Easter Sunday morning?
Begin before you check your phone. Read one of the resurrection accounts (John 20 is a good choice), and pray a short prayer naming what the day is: "He is risen — meet me here." Let the news set the tone before the day's noise starts. The morning prayer above is written for exactly that moment.