What's the significance of Faust's meeting being on Easter Day?

Question

In Goethe's *Faust*, the eponymous (anti?)hero meets the demon Mephistopheles on what seems to be Easter Sunday, during local celebrations of Easter. Given the religious themes in the story, this surely can't be a coincidence. **Why is their meeting on Easter Day in particular?** What symbolic significance does this have in terms of Faust's life and actions?

Answer 1

Easter Sunday is supposed to the most significant day of the Christian calendar. It is the day on which Jesus sacrifices himself to save humanity and thus it is the highpoint of salvation and hope. That Faust meets with Mephistopheles on Easter Sunday emphasizes his despair. He is unable to feel any enthusiasm for Easter and he is literally making a deal with the devil instead of connecting with the Christian community. This suggests that Faust is something of a lost soul, beyond hope of salvation.