As Catholics in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester celebrated the beginning of the Easter season, the Mass started with “I have risen, and I am with you still, alleluia. You have laid your hand upon me, alleluia. Too wonderful for me, this knowledge, alleluia, alleluia” as the entrance antiphon.

With that, the diocese wished “you and your loved ones a happy and joyous Easter season” on Facebook. 

The 50-day Easter season, which lasts until Pentecost, is the most important season of the liturgical calendar, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). 

The etymology of the word Easter is rooted in Old English and means "East." It is appropriate for the season because the sun rises in the east, lighting the world with warmth and hope, and the resurrected Christ is the Light of the world, the USCCB says. 

About seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection, and around 10 days after his ascension into heaven, Jesus' followers were meeting inside a room. They noticed a sudden sound, according to Christianity.com, that was described as similar to that of a gust of wind rushing into the room. 

As they observed that, tongues of fire appeared over the heads of Jesus' followers, christianity.com says, infusing them with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in tongues. When a crowd gathered to hear what they were saying, everyone in the crowd heard Jesus' followers speaking in that person’s native language.

Peter preached to the crowd about Jesus, and 3,000 people converted to Christianity that day. 

May 29 is when the Ascension of the Lord will be celebrated, the USCCB says. During that celebration, the Gospel reading will tell of Jesus leading his disciples outside of Jerusalem. There, he blessed them before "he parted from them and was taken up to heaven."