Staten Island Easter Events, Brunches & Ceremonies on SI NYC

There are Two Easters Observed - 1) West European Christians & 2) East European Orthodox

April 18, 2025 / Staten Island Neighborhoods NYC / Staten Island Things To Do Events NYC / Staten Buzz NYC.

Very Brief Introduction to Christian Easter Traditions

Christians observe Good Friday, which is when the Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross. On the Sunday following Good Friday, Christians celebrate the Biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead, which is Easter.

Emperor Constantine became the Roman Emperor in 306. In 324 Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, wherein Christianity split into two different sects - Roman Catholic Christians [primarily in Western Europe] and Orthodox Christians [primarily in Eastern Europe]. The traditions have much in common, but one of the differences is in how they calculate the time of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The Western European Christians [Protestants and Catholics] use the Gregorian Calendar to calculate when to celebrate Good Friday and Easter. The Gregorian calendar was created in the 16th century and made the official calendar by Pope Gregory. Orthodox Christians use the Julian Calendar, which was made law in the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar. The primary difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars is that the Gregorian calendar uses Leap Year [this year is one of them] to adjust the calendar for the 1/4 extra day per year, that to our rotation around the sun requires. Thus the calendar differences, and how the date of Easter is calculated, is why the Orthodox and Roman Catholic / Protestant Christian Easters oftentimes occur on different dates.

This year [2025] the celebrations of the two traditions are celebrated the same week, whereas in 2024 the celebrations were separated by five weeks. So both the traditional Western European Christian and the Eastern Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter the same week.

Next Up - The History of the Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

CLICK here to view our report on Easter events, Easter egg hunts and Easter brunches on Staten Island NYC. We start off with a brief history of the Easter Bunny and the origin of related traditions.

Staten Island Easter Events, Brunches & Ceremonies on SI NYC

There are Two Easters Observed - 1) West European Christians & 2) East European Orthodox

April 18, 2025 / Staten Island Neighborhoods NYC / Staten Island Things To Do Events NYC / Staten Buzz NYC.

Continued.

The Origin of Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

The origin of the Easter Bunny and the related traditions of painting and hiding eggs dates back to southern Germany in ancient times. Eggs were a sign of fertility, and according to some accounts, the Easter hare originated as a bird before becoming the rabbit. The rabbit is also known as a fertile animal giving birth to litters of little rabbits.

The tradition arrived in America in Pennsylvania in the 1700's. From there it evolved into the whole slew of grand traditions it has become today, which in NYC include an Easter parade of fashion on Easter day in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue, numerous Easter Egg hunts in parks and other places in all five boroughs, as well as numerous Easter Brunches organized by numerous restaurants around the city.

What follows are a selection of many of the Easter events occurring in NYC in the coming week. These include a number of Orthodox Easter events, including one of my favorites, which is the Greek Orthodox Holy Friday procession of re-enacting Christ's climb up Mount Calvary. The Greeks call Mount Calvary, Golgatha, translated means the Place of the Skull. We have also included a few non-Easter events we believed are timed to take advantage of folks looking to use their leisure time in non-traditional Easter ways. Have a Happy Easter.

This page is organized as follows this year [2025].

First we included all of the Greek Orthodox Holy Friday evening processions carrying the epitaphios.

Then we take you through Easter Weekend events.

Staten Island Greek Orthodox Easter Events

Friday, April 18, 2025 possibly beginning around 7 pm [UNCONFIRMED] - Lamentation Service & Epitafios - at Holy Trinity Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, at 1641 Richmond Avenue on Staten Island [718.494.0658]. For details see - https://htsaintnicholas.ny.goarch.org/. Nothing has been posted regarding Easter services as of this post [4/2/23].

Staten Island Easter Parade & Easter Events & Egg Hunts NYC

Thursday, March 13, 2025 beginning at 6 pm - Community Iftar - at the Vanderbilt at 300 Father Capodanno Drive in the Arrochar / South Beach neighborhood of Staten Island. It's a Ramadan community dinner. For details and to rsvp copy & paste - https://donate.irusa.org/event/staten-island-ny-grand-iftar-2025/e644846

April 26, 2025 from 4 to 9 pm - Staten Island Eid Festival - at Snug Harbor at 1000 Richmond Terrace in the Randall Manor neighborhood of Staten Island. A celebration of the end of Ramadan including food, games, giveaways, raffles and a bazaar. Free or a small contribution. For details and to rsvp copy & paste - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/staten-island-family-eid-festival-tickets-1311277699899 | https://snug-harbor.org

Easter at Empire Outlets at 55 Richmond Terrace on the 2nd level [outside of Old Navy] in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island. For details copy & paste - https://www.empireoutlets.nyc.

Saturday, April 19, 2025 beginning at 10 am and 1 pm - Easter at the Mount Loretto - at 6541 Hylan Blvd in the Charleston neighborbood of Staten Island. Mount Loretto is hosting a couple of Easter Brunches, Egg Hunts & Events which they describe as follows, " ... Enjoy buffet breakfast, music and dancing, then take a professional photo with the Easter Bunny that you can take home. Grab your Easter Basket and hunt in the island’s largest Easter Egg Patch loaded with more than 4,000 eggs plus 10 Golden Eggs filled with special prizes. Two seatings to choose from ...". Easter at Mount Loretto in the Charleston neighborhood of Staten Island. Sometimes this event sell out early. For details and tickets [$30 / adult & $40 / kids] copy & paste - https://cc-si.org

Easter at the Staten Island Mall at 2655 Richmond Avenue in the Heartland Village neighborhood of Staten Island. For details copy & paste - https://www.statenislandmall.com/en/events/9139/

Click here to see Staten Island street fairs & festivals NYC 2025.

Click here to see Staten Island Easter Events Brunches Egg Hunts & Holy Friday Greek Orthodox Processions 2025 on SI NYC.

Easter Brunches on Staten Island NYC

Sunday, April 20, 2025 with seatings at 10.30 am and 2 pm - Annual Easter Brunch - at Grand Oaks Country Club at 200 Huguenot Avenue in Rossville neighborhood of Staten Island. For details and $30 [kids] and $60 [adults] tickets see - https://www.grandoaksnyc.com/

Sunday, April 20, 2025 - Easter Brunch - Patio Lakeside Buffet Brunch at 10 am & 10.30 am and Fireplace Lakeview Sit Down Brunch at 10.15 am & 10.45 am - at the Stone House on Clove Lake at 1150 Clove Road in the Castleton Corners neighborhood on Staten Island NYC. This is a Classic Easter Brunch [they also serve Easter Dinner] in a beautiful setting overlooking Clove Lake. For details and $54 / $42 buffet or $46 / $30 sit down rsvps copy & paste - https://thestonehousesi.com

Sunday, April 20, 2025 with seatings at 11 am & 2 pm [unclear - it may be 11 am to 2 pm] - Easter Brunch - at the Historic Old Bermuda Inn - at 301 Veterans Road West on Staten Island NYC. Adults $55 / Kids $28. For details and to rsvp see - https://www.theoldbermudainn.com

Apparently Discontinued _ April 8, 2023 from 11 am - 2 pm, there's a Bunnies & Bonnetts, Tea Party. There's a high tea, an indoor Easter Parade and you get to create your own Easter bonnet. At the Grand Colony Hall at 460 Brielle near the Manor Heights neighborhood on Staten Island. For details and tickets see - https://www.facebook.com/GrandColonyHall/ - scroll down past the notice of a fraudster.