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Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses not celebrate Easter?

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Three Jehovah's Witnesses stand beside literature carts, holding religious magazines, at the Star Ferry Pier under a blue sign for City Hall and MTR Station in Hong Kong. — Jehovah’s Witness Adherents of the Jehovah's Witness movement distributing literature about their faith in Hong Kong, China.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Easter because they believe it is a "pagan" accretion to Christianity that developed after the foundation of the faith. They hold that such traditional holidays are not consistent with their restorationist goal of returning to the practices of Christ’s original followers.1

Instead of observing Easter, Jehovah’s Witnesses participate in an annual commemoration of Jesus’ death, known as the Memorial Meal or Lord’s Evening Meal. This event is held on 14 Nisan of the Jewish calendar, in accordance with Jesus’ instructions at the Last Supper to "do this in remembrance of me". During this observance, they pass around bread and wine as symbols of the body and blood of Christ, though only those they believe to be among the 144,000 corulers partake of these emblems.1