# Holy Humor Sunday **Summary.** Holy Humor Sunday (also called Bright Sunday or Low Sunday / Quasimodo Sunday) is the Second Sunday of Easter, observed with deliberate joy and laughter. The practice roots in the early-church tradition of *Risus Paschalis* — the "Easter Laugh" — the idea that God's resurrection of Jesus was a cosmic joke at the devil's expense. ## Historical Roots Early Christian theologians described Easter as "God's supreme joke played on death." The Sunday following Easter became a "Bright Sunday" where people played jokes, sang, danced, and celebrated. The tradition waned in many Western traditions but has seen revival in mainline and ecumenical Protestant congregations (Source: [[2026-04-12 St Johns UCC]]). ## Latin Names - *Risus Paschalis* — "Easter Laugh" - *Quasi modo geniti infantes* — "As newborn babes" (Latin introit for the Sunday), giving the name *Quasimodo Sunday* ## Theological Logic The observance rests on three moves: 1. **Resurrection as reversal.** Death is defeated; the powers that killed Jesus are outwitted. Laughter is the appropriate embodied response. 2. **Joy as legitimate worship.** If "Jesus wept," he also laughed. Limiting worship to somber modes truncates the fullness of human-divine encounter. 3. **Humor as resistance.** Laughter pierces the inflated seriousness of oppressive powers. Bonhoeffer: *"Ultimate seriousness is not without a dose of humor."* ## Affirmation of Humor — Theological Chain Used liturgically at St. John's UCC on 2026-04-12, drawing voices across the tradition: Scripture (Ecclesiastes 3), John Chrysostom, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Francis De Sales, Wesley, Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Chesterton, Bonhoeffer, Flannery O'Connor, Krister Stendahl, Charles Schulz, Elton Trueblood. Key lines: - Chrysostom: *"Laughter has been implanted in our souls."* - Aquinas: there is a time for *"playful deeds and jokes."* - Luther: *"You have as much laughter as you have faith."* - Calvin: *"We are nowhere forbidden to laugh."* - Wesley: *"A sour religion is the devil's religion."* - Kierkegaard: *"Humor is intrinsic to Christianity."* - Trueblood: *"Never trust a theologian without a sense of humor."* ## Contrast Across Traditions - **Mainline / progressive (UCC, some Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican):** Active revival. Holy Humor Sunday is increasingly common in Year A/B/C cycles. - **Roman Catholic / Orthodox:** Preserves the *Quasimodo Sunday* nomenclature; humor tradition present but less congregationally performed. - **Evangelical / NAR / charismatic:** Rarely observed as a named Sunday. Resurrection joy is routinely expressed, but without the intentional humor frame. ## Questions for Future Research > [!question] > Is there tension between Holy Humor Sunday and pastoral care for the bereaved attending shortly after Easter? How do congregations hold levity and grief together? ## Sources - [[2026-04-12 St Johns UCC]]