The Origin of the Easter Egg

Growing up, the Easter Egg to you probably meant a fun time dying eggs and eating them, as well as doing egg hunts with family and friends. It also meant the same to me, but as I got older I wanted to know how the Egg got associated with Easter, because to me it didn't make sense.

Doing my research, and homework on the subject I have come across some very interesting fact about the so called Easter Egg. An old Latin proverb: "Omne vivum ex ovo", This means "all life comes from an egg". The concept of all living beings born from an egg is a foundational concept of modern biology.

Then tell me, how in the world did this concept get associated with Easter?

Research from Holidayspot.com has provided me with this answer!

Well at the Passover Seder, a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water symbolizes both new life and the Passover sacrifice offered at the Temple in Jerusalem, thus a first version of the dyed egg was created.

In Christian times the egg was also viewed as a symbol of life, so therefore during Lent no eggs where eaten. This had caused most families to use up all the household eggs right before lent and in turn created a tradition we now call Pancake Day.

A person was not to eat an egg during Len because in Christian times, the egg was a symbol of new life just as a chick might hatch from the egg. Eggs were viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages.

Because of these rules of fasting and no egg consumption for 40 days and nights, when Easter Arrived, it was thus aloud again, and so it became a luxury and a want, So they were eaten at Easter dinner and a Easter gift for children and servants.

And this is probably the reason why eggs came to be associated with Easter.

The Orthodox tradition was to present a guest with a Red dyed egg as a kind gesture. The red symbolizes the blood of Christ redeeming the world, represented by the egg, and our regeneration through the bloodshed for us by Christ.

The egg itself is a symbol of the Resurrection while being dormant it contains a new life sealed within it.

So the Easter dying egg tradition had begun.

Very interesting research I've come across, I hope you enjoyed reading this article as must has I did writing it, for I learned a great deal in doing so.