What Happened on Easter Day? A careful study of the stories of the four Gospels reveals five main phases, from sunrise to sunset, which are actually five encounters that the author recounts through a selection of works of art. The book does not analyze the resurrection of Christ with the traditional images of the descent into hell or the exit from the tomb, but, through about sixty works of art, it evokes the experience of those who passed from deep sadness to the death of Christ to the joy of the encounter with the Risen One. The day opens with the discovery of the empty tomb, early in the morning, by the women and Mary Magdalene, who went with aromas to honor the deceased: here they meet one or more angels, bearers of a shocking announcement. The second moment is even more unprecedented because the Risen One appears to some women or, according to other stories, only to Mary Magdalene who, recognizing him, tries to embrace him, blocked by the famous Noli me tangere. This overwhelming encounter leads her - third moment / encounter - to run to announce the news to the apostles, an announcement that activates Peter and John in verifying what happened in their turn, discovering the empty tomb. The fourth meeting is the exceptional experience of the disciples of Emmaus, who conversed along the way of all these strange events and found themselves talking and dining with Jesus. The long and eventful day ends with the appearance of the Risen One, late at night, to the eleven Apostles locked up in the Upper Room for fear of the Jewish authorities.