Origins of Easter

Easter is coming and while for many its a religious holiday. For others it is a time of hunting eggs and waiting for the easter bunny. But do you know how the holiday was started? Where its roots lay.

In fact the easter holiday and traditions started out as a pagan festival. Saxons used the holiday to celebrate the return of spring and honoring their goddess Eastre. The holiday was called Eastre. When the second century Christian missionaries moved through the lands they attempted to convert the Saxons to their religion. This process was a gradual one. Because the pagan festival of Eastre occurred at the same time of year as the Christian observance of Jesus' Resurrection, Eastre slowly became Easter. The festival was altered to suit the new religion. The Christian beginnings of Easter are said to lay closely with Passover or "Pesach" Many early Christians were of Jewish origin, brought with them the Hebrew tradition and regarded easter as a new part of the passover festival

Symbols of Easter are varied and come from both faiths that have been combined for the holiday.

The cross for example is the official Christian symbol. and widely associated with the Easter holidays as well as the Christmas holidays. It was declared the official symbol of Christianity in A.D 325 by Constantine.

The white Lilly is a Christian symbol for the rebirth of Jesus Christ.

The Easter Bunny is an ancient Saxon symbol. The goddess Eastre was worshiped on this holiday, Her earthly symbol was the rabbit. This symbol was brought to the US by the Germans shortly after the civil war.

The Easter Egg is another Saxon symbol. The exchange of eggs was a custom pertaining to Eastre as well. They were often wrapped in gold leaf or colored brightly. Its a symbol of rebirth, One we use today in the form of coloring and hunting for them as children. The egg is a symbol of rebirth, health and healing. It was used to ward off evil and bless all things good. The colors of the easter egg are to represent the sunlight of spring.

Easter is one of the few holidays that does not have a set date. In A.D. 325 the Council of Nicaea, under the direction of Emperor Constantine declared that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday that occurs after a full moon on or after the vernal equinox of March 21st. Easter would be celebrated on a Sunday between the dates of March 22nd and April 25th.

While Easter is a mixture of holidays coming from at least two different religions. It is often celebrated as a Christian holiday or no holiday at all. Some non-religious traditions now include. Hard boiling eggs, dying them with food coloring or other preservatives, hiding them and allowing children to have an egg hunt. Hunts also often include gifts from the Easter Bunny, and a family meal. Many people find a balance between its religious meanings and its fun traditions.