EASTER

The modern observance of Easter began as a pagan celebration of Spring. The Teutonic name of the goddess of Spring was Eastre. She was also the goddess of fertility, and of all things newborn and reborn. Her animal symbol and earthly form was that of the hare (rabbit), whose prolific breeding habits also made it a powerful symbol of fertility.

The celebrations in her honour usually began immediately following the vernal equinox, the first day of Spring, and often carried through the first full moon. Eggs, universal symbols of birth, were decorated and given as gifts.

Early Christians began commemorating the resurrection of Christ at the same time, and in order to encourage converts to their new religion, decided to incorporate their holy days into the pagan festival, modifying the name to Easter.

The Christian rituals have largely replaced the pagan rituals over the years, with a few notable exceptions, such as the way it all starts - with Fat Tuesday, otherwise known as Mardi Gras, pictured at left. In an orgy of self indulgence that would make any pagan proud, revelers get it all out of their systems in preparation for the abstinence and self denial of Lent.

Lent begins on the following day, Ash Wednesday, when the faithful begin forty days of symbolic suffering - temporarily giving up some of their usual comforts - to remember and honour the forty days that Christ suffered in the desert.

The last week of Lent is called Holy Week. It begins on Palm Sunday, commemorating the triumphant yet humble entry of Jesus into Jerusalem for the celebration of the Jewish Passover.

Holy Thursday is the day of the last supper, pictured below in Da Vinci's masterpiece.




Good Friday Jesus is nailed to a cross, and dies.



And on Easter Sunday morning, He rises from the dead, and Christians everywhere celebrate the glory of His resurrection.
It is traditionally a day of feasting and celebrating, and once again echos of pagan rituals are in the air.

And speaking of pagan rituals, the rabbits and the eggs are still with us,
although their original symbolism seems to have become somewhat lost in the commercialism of the times.

Happy Easter!

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