Easter, a Christian festival, embodies many pre-Christian traditions. The
origin of its name is unknown. Scholars, however, accepting the derivation
proposed by the 8th-century English scholar St. Bede, believe it probably
comes from Çastre, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of spring
and fertility, to whom was dedicated a month corresponding to April. Her
festival was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox; traditions associated
with the festival survive in the Easter rabbit, a symbol of fertility, and
in colored easter eggs, originally painted with bright colors to represent
the sunlight of spring, and used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given
as gifts.
Such festivals, and the stories and legends that explain their origin, were
common in ancient religions. A Greek legend tells of the return of Persephone,
daughter of Demeter, goddess of the earth, from the underworld to the light
of day; her return symbolized to the ancient Greeks the resurrection of life
in the spring after the desolation of winter. Many ancient peoples shared
similar legends. The Phrygians believed that their omnipotent deity went
to sleep at the time of the winter solstice, and they performed ceremonies
with music and dancing at the spring equinox to awaken him. The Christian
festival of Easter probably embodies a number of converging traditions; most
scholars emphasize the original relation of Easter to the Jewish festival
of Passover, or Pesach, from which is derived Pasch, another name for Easter.
The early Christians, many of whom were of Jewish origin, were brought up
in the Hebrew tradition and regarded Easter as a new feature of the Passover
festival, a commemoration of the advent of the Messiah as foretold by the
prophets. |
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Easter
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