Easter

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Easter

Modern-day Easter is derived from two ancient traditions: one Judeo-Christian and the other Pagan. Both Christians and Pagans have celebrated death and resurrection themes on or after the Spring Equinox for millennia. Most religious historians believe that many elements of the Christian observance of Easter were derived from earlier Pagan celebrations.

The equinox occurs each year on March 20, 21 or 22. Both Neopagans and Christians continue to celebration religious rituals in the present day. Wiccans and other Neopagans usually hold their celebrations on the day or eve of the equinox. Christians wait until after the next full moon.

Origins of the name "Easter":

The name "Easter" originated with the names of an ancient Goddess and God. The Venerable Bede, (672-735 CE.) a Christian scholar, first asserted in his book De Ratione Temporum that Easter was named after Eostre (a.k.a. Eastre). She was the Great Mother Goddess of the Saxon people in Northern Europe. Similar "Teutonic dawn goddess of fertility [were] known variously as Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron and Ausos." ₅_{Her name was derived from the ancient word for spring: "eastre."
Similar Goddesses were known by other names in ancient cultures around the
Mediterranean, and were celebrated in the springtime. Some were:}

	Aphrodite_{from Cyprus}
	Astarte_{, from Phoenicia}
	Demeter_{, from Mycenae}
	Hathor_{from Egypt}
	Ishtar_{from Assyria}
	Kali, _{from India}
	Ostara_{, a Norse Goddess of fertility.}

_{An alternate explanation has been suggested. The name given by the Frankish
church to Jesus' resurrection festival included the Latin word "alba"
which means "white." (This was a reference to the white robes
that were worn during the festival.) "Alba" also has a second
meaning: "sunrise." When the name of the festival was
translated into German, the "sunrise" meaning was selected in
error. This became "ostern" in German. Ostern has been proposed
as the origin of the word "Easter". 2

Sunday is named after a Pagan sun god, Solis.
_{Scholars,
however, accepting the derivation proposed by the 8th-century English scholar
St. Bede, believe it probably comes from Eastre, 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.}

Pagan origins of Easter:

Many, perhaps most, Pagan religions in the Mediterranean area had a major
seasonal day of religious celebration at or following the Spring Equinox. Cybele,
the Phrygian fertility goddess, had a fictional consort who was believed to have
been born via a virgin birth. He was Attis, who was believed to have died and
been resurrected each year during the period MAR-22 to MAR-25. "About
200 B.C. mystery cults began to appear in Rome just as they had earlier in
Greece. Most notable was the Cybele cult centered on Vatican hill ...Associated
with the Cybele cult was that of her lover, Attis ([the older Tammuz, Osiris,
Dionysus, or Orpheus under a new name). He was a god of ever-reviving
vegetation. Born of a virgin, he died and was reborn annually. The festival
began as a day of blood on Black Friday and culminated after three days in a day
of rejoicing over the resurrection." 15

Wherever Christian worship of Jesus and Pagan worship of Attis were active in
the same geographical area in ancient times, Christians "used to
celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus on the same date; and pagans and
Christians used to quarrel bitterly about which of their gods was the true
prototype and which the imitation."
Many religious historians believe that the death and resurrection legends
were first associated with Attis, many centuries before the birth of Jesus. They
were simply grafted
onto stories of Jesus' life in
order to make Christian theology more acceptable to Pagans. Ancient Christians
had an alternate explanation; they claimed that Satan had created counterfeit
deities in advance of the coming of Christ in order to confuse humanity. 11
Modern-day Christians generally regard the Attis legend as being a Pagan myth of
little value. They regard Jesus' death and resurrection account as being true,
and unrelated to the earlier tradition.

Wiccans and other modern-day Neopagans continue to celebrate the Spring
Equinox as one of their 8 yearly Sabbats (holy days of celebration). Near the
Mediterranean, this is a time of sprouting of the summer's crop; farther north,
it is the time for seeding. Their rituals at the Spring Equinox are related
primarily to the fertility of the crops and to the balance of the day and night
times. Where Wiccans can safely celebrate the Sabbat out of doors without threat
of religious persecution, they often incorporate a bonfire into their rituals,
jumping over the dying embers is believed to assure fertility of people and
crops.

Judeo-Christian origins of Easter:

The Christian celebration of Easter is linked to the Jewish celebration of
the Passover. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were
observed by the ancient Israelites early in each new year. (The Jewish people
followed the Persian/Babylonian calendar and started each year with the Spring
Equinox circa MAR-21) "Equinox" means "equal night;"
on that date of the year, the night and day are approximately equal. The name
"Passover" was derived from the actions of the angel of death
as described in the book of Exodus. The angel "passed over" the
homes of the Jews which were marked with the blood obtained from a ritual animal
sacrifice. The same angel exterminated the first born son of every family whose
doorway was not so marked - one of the greatest acts of mass-murder mentioned in
the Bible.}

Liberal theologians_{trace Passover to an ancient pre-Israelite Pagan ritual practiced
by wandering Semitic shepherds. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was
originally a traditional Canaanite agricultural harvest which was adopted
by the Israelites. It marked the start of the barley harvest; barley was
the first crop to ripen. Because they occurred at about the same time each
year, the two celebrations became merged into a two day observance. The
Passover became associated with the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.}

Conservative theologians_{generally believe that these observances were originally created by God as
described in Leviticus 23:5-14, and recorded by Moses.}

_{Passover was the most important feast of the Jewish calendar, celebrated at
the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. (The Equinox typically occurs on
March 20, 21 or 22 according to our present calendar.) Most Christians interpret
the four Gospels of the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) as implying that
Jesus Christ was executed and buried just before the beginning of Passover on
Friday evening. A minority believe that the execution occurred on a Wednesday or
Thursday. Various dates have been suggested:}

	30-APR-5 CE, a Wednesday
	30-APR-6 CE, a Thursday
	30-APR-7 CE, a Friday; this is perhaps the most common date
	31-APR-26 CE, a Thursday
	32-APR-10 CE, a Thursday
	33-APR-3 CE, a Friday.

_{The Christian Liturgical Calendar:

Until the 4th century CE, Easter and Pentecost were the only two holy days
that Christians observed. Easter Sunday was the main day of celebration,
formally recognized by the Council of Nicea in 325 CE. Pentecost Sunday
was also observed as a less important holy day, 7 weeks/49 days after Easter.
Other occasions related to Jesus' execution were gradually added to the church
calendar:}

	Lent_{: This was a period of spiritual preparation for Easter which typically involves fasting, penance and prayer. It was originally established by various Christian groups as an interval ranging from a few days to several weeks. It was eventually fixed in the 8th century CE at 40 days. (The number 40 is one of many magical numbers with religious significance in the Bible. 40 days recalls the interval that Jesus, Moses and Elias spent in the desert. Other magical numbers were 3, 7, 12, and 70). Among Roman Catholics, Lent lasts for six and a half weeks before Easter, excluding Sundays. Among the Eastern Orthodox churches, it is a full eight weeks, because Saturdays and Sundays are not included.}
	Ash Wednesday_{: This is held on the first day of Lent, a Wednesday. "Wednesday" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon "Wodnes Daeg"; Woden was the Saxon God of war and victory.}
	Holy Week_{: the week before Easter Sunday:}
		Palm Sunday: _{This is held on the Sunday before Easter Sunday. It recalls Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem one week before his execution.}
		Holy Monday_{commemorates Jesus' cleansing of the temple, when he assaulted money changers and overturned their tables. Some believe that this triggered his arrest and crucifixion.}
		Holy Tuesday_{recalls Jesus' description to his disciples on the Mount of Olives of the destruction of Jerusalem.}
		Holy Wednesday_{(once called Spy Wednesday) recalls Judas' decision to betray Jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver.}
		Maundy Thursday_{commemorates the Last Supper, Jesus agony in the garden and his arrest. "Maundy" is derived from the Latin "mandatum" (commandment of God in John 13:34-35) For centuries, people in authority have washed the feet of their followers on this day.}
		Good Friday _{recalls Jesus' death on the cross. The origin of the word "good" has been lost. Some claim that it is a corruption of "God" and that the early Christians called this day "God's Friday." Others claim that "good" refers to the blessings of humanity that Christians believe arose as a result of Jesus' execution.}
		Holy Saturday _{(a.k.a. Easter Eve) is the final day of Holy Week and of Lent.}
		Easter Sunday_{commemorates Jesus' resurrection. In the early church, converts were baptized into church membership on this day after a lengthy period of instruction. This tradition continues today in some churches.}
	Feast of the Ascension_{(a.k.a Ascension Day) is a celebration of Jesus' ascension up to heaven. This is described in:}
		the gospel of John as happening immediately after Jesus' resurrection
		the gospel of Luke at an undefined number of days after the resurrection
		the book of Acts at 40 days after the resurrection.
	The church has accepted the account in Acts; the feast is celebrated on a Thursday, 39 days after Easter Sunday. Although tradition states that it was first celebrated in 68 CE, it did not become formally recognized by the church until the late 3rd century.
	Pentecost (_{a.k.a. Whit Sunday) is now celebrated 7 weeks/49 days after Easter Sunday. It recalls the visitation of the Holy Spirit to 120 Christians, both apostles and followers. They spoke in tongues (in foreign languages that they had not previously known) to the assembled crowd. Three thousand were baptized. The day was originally a Jewish festival which was called "Pentecost," because it was observed 50 days after Passover. (The Greek word for 50'th day is "pentecoste.") This is usually regarded as the date of the birth of the Christian church. The feast was mentioned in a 2nd century book, and was formally recognized in the 3rd century CE.}

_{How the date of Easter is determined:

Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after
MAR-20, the nominal date of the Spring Equinox. Many sources incorrectly state
that the starting date of the calculation is the actual day of the Equinox
rather than the nominal date of Mar-20. Other sources use an incorrect reference
date of MAR-21.
Easter Sunday can fall on any date from March 22 to April 25th. The
year-to-year sequence is so complicated that it takes 5.7 million years to
repeat. Eastern Orthodox churches sometimes celebrate Easter on the same day as
the rest of Christendom. However if that date does not follow Passover, then the
Orthodox churches delay their Easter - sometimes by over a month.
Some dates related to Easter are celebrated on the following dates by the
Roman Catholic and Protestant churches:}

Year	Ash Wednesday	Easter Sunday	Ascension Day	Pentecost
1996	Feb-21	Apr-7	May-16	May-26
1997	Feb-12	Mar-30	May-8	May-18
1998	Feb-25	Apr-12	May-21	May-31
1999	Feb-17	Apr-4	May-13	May-23
2000	Mar-8	Apr-23	Jun-1	Jun-11
2001	Feb-28	Apr-15	May-24	Jun-3
2002	Feb-13	Mar-31	May-9	May-19
2003	Mar-5	Apr-20	May-29	Jun-8
2004	Feb-25	Apr-11	May-20	May-30
2005	Feb-9	Mar-27	May-5	May-15
2006	Mar-1	Apr-16	May-25	Jun-4

_{Although these dates were taken from sources that we believe to be reliable,
do not rely on their accuracy. We cannot accept responsibility for any errors.
R.W. Mallem's "Easter Dating Method," shows for methods of
calculating the dates of Easter Sunday, both for the Western and Orthodox
churches. 13

Easter Traditions:

These have been derived primarily from Pagan traditions at Easter time:}

	Hot Cross Buns_{: At the feast of Eostre, the Saxon fertility Goddess, an ox was sacrificed. The ox's horns became a symbol for the feast. They were carved into the ritual bread. Thus originated "hot cross buns". The word "buns" is derived from the Saxon word "boun" which means "sacred ox." Later, the symbol of a symmetrical cross was used to decorate the buns; the cross represented the moon, the heavenly body associated with the Goddess, and its four quarters.}
	Easter Rabbit and Eggs_{: The symbols of the Norse Goddess Ostara were the hare and the egg. Both represented fertility. From these, we have inherited the customs and symbols of the Easter egg and Easter rabbit. Dyed eggs also formed part of the rituals of the Babylonian mystery religions. Eggs "were sacred to many ancient civilizations and formed an integral part of religious ceremonies in Egypt and the Orient. Dyed eggs were hung in Egyptian temples, and the egg was regarded as the emblem of regenerative life proceeding from the mouth of the great Egyptian god." 3}
	Easter _{Lilies: "The so-called 'Easter lily' has long been revered by pagans of various lands as a holy symbol associated with the reproductive organs. It was considered a phallic symbol!" 6}
	Easter Sunrise Service_{: This custom can be traced back to the ancient Pagan custom of welcoming the sun God at the vernal equinox - when daytime is about to exceed the length of the nighttime. It was a time to "celebrate the return of life and reproduction to animal and plant life as well." 4 Worship of the Sun God at sunrise may be the religious ritual condemned by Jehovah as recorded in:}

Ezekiel 8:16-18: _{"...behold,
at the door of the temple of Jehovah, between the porch and the altar, were
about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of Jehovah,
and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward
the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen (this), O son of man? Is it a
light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which
they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have
turned again to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their
nose. Therefore will I also deal in wrath; mine eye shall not spare, neither
will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet
will I not hear them." (ASV)}

Easter Candles_{:
These are sometimes lit in churches on the eve of Easter Sunday. Some
commentators believe that these can be directly linked to the Pagan
customs of lighting bonfires at this time of year to welcome the
rebirth/resurrection of the sun God.}

_{Where did the Easter Bunny come from?
The Easter Bunny is a cute little rabbit that hides eggs for us to find on
Easter. But where did he come from? Well, the origin is not certain. In the
rites of spring the rabbit symbolized fertility. In a German book published in
1682, a tale is told of a bunny laying eggs and hiding them in the garden.

References:

_{1. Yisrayl Hawkins,"Ancient Pagan Religious
Expression," at: http://yahweh.com/pages/pw3_96/1_396pg1.shtml}
_{2. Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Q & A Set 15,
"Why do we celebrate a festival called Easter?" at: http://www.wels.net/sab/text/qa/qa15.html}
_{3. Anon, "Easter: The Pagan Origins of Common
Easter Traditions," at: http://www.multiline.com.au/~gregm/easter.html}
_{4. Arnold Gordon, untitled essay at: http://www.misslink.net/zephyr/bible/bibleah.htm}
_{5. Larry Boemler "Asherah and Easter,"
Biblical Archaeology Review, Vol. 18, Number 3, 1992-May/June reprinted at: http://www.worldmissions.org/Clipper/Holidays/EasterAndAsherah.htm}
_{6. A. J. Dager, "Facts and Fallacies of the
Resurrection," Page 5. Cited in: R.K. Tardo, "Rabbits, Eggs and
Other Easter Errors," at: http://syscdj1.gmu.edu/sermons/base/EASTER.TXT}

_{7. J.G. Walshe & S. Warrier, "Dates and Meanings of
Religious & Other Festivals," Foulsham, New York NY (1997)}
_{8. B.G. Walker, "The Woman's Encylopedia of Myths and Secrets,"
Harper & Row, San Francisco CA, (1983)}
_{9. J.C. Cooper, "The Dictionary of Festivals," Thorsons,
London, UK, (1995)}
_{10. C. Panati, "Sacred Origins of Profound Things: The Stories
Behind the Rites and Rituals of the World's Religions," Arkana/Penguin,
New York, NY (1996)}
_{11. J Farrar & S. Farrar, "Eight Sabbats for Witches,"
Phoenix, Custer, WA, (1988)}
_{12. G. L. Berry, "Religions of the World" (currently
out of print)}

_{13. R.W. Mallem "Easter Dating Method,"
at: http://www.assa.org.au/edm.html}}

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