The Origin of Easter

Easter is a well-known holiday for many. To most, Easter represents the resurrection of Jesus Christ, while to others, Easter represents the Easter Bunny coming to homes to leave candy and maybe some presents. There are many fun activities and things that are associated with Easter. These include Easter Egg Hunts, coloring eggs, attending easter sunday mass, and eating yummy chocolate easter eggs. Out of these four listed things, two seem to differ from the others. These two things include coloring easter eggs and easter egg hunts. Both of these activities are well known and loved by many; however, if you take a minute to think about it, it seems odd that Easter Eggs are associated so much with a holiday that is meant to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. To better understand this question, you need to dive into where it began. 

Decorating eggs is a very ancient technique that has been used since the days of Mesopotamia over 6,000 years ago. It was also used by the ancient Egyptians as early as 5,000 years ago. These actions may have influenced the early Christian and Islamic cultures that were in those areas at the time. From this point on, it can be inferred that these traditions of decorating eggs have been passed down from different generations to modern day. In the Christian faith, the outer shell, the yolk, and the albumen can represent the holy trinity. The holy trinity is the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit. These three things can be represented through the outer shell being the Father, the yolk being the Son, and the albumen being the holy spirit. Decorating eggs is a lovely activity that you can do with your family and friends.

Now that we understand the origin of the easter eggs, we need to talk about the origin of the easter bunny. The Easter Bunny is a well-known public figure that people think of when they think of Easter. The Easter Bunny is most commonly depicted as a rabbit that is usually wearing clothes. He is commonly known to bring children easter eggs, candy, and even small presents or gifts. The Easter Bunny originated among German Lutherans and was originally called the Easter Hare. The Easter Hare played the role of judging if children were behaving well or badly at the beginning of the season of Eastertide. This is noticeably similar to the naughty or nice list that is made by Santa Claus. Another part of the legend was that the creature carries colored eggs, candy, and even sometimes toys in its basket. This is another way that the Easter Bunny shows similarities to Santa Claus. The Easter Bunny, also known as the Easter Hare, would bring gifts to the children on the night before the holiday. The Easter Hare was also known to hide eggs in bushes and outside for children to find. 

Last but not least, to understand the full meaning of Easter, we need to look at its religious importance. To Christians, Easter represents the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is seen as a time of celebration and triumph in that the Lord has risen from the dead and has reopened the gates of heaven for all mankind. Easter comes after the season of Lent, which is 40 days of fasting and sacrifice that Christians participate in to spiritually prepare for Easter. Lent allows Christians to focus less on earthly distractions and focus more on their individual relationships with God. Lent always ends on Holy Thursday with the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Good Friday is a day of fasting and prayer that we remember and honor Jesus’ Suffering, Crucifixion, and Death. Holy Saturday is when Holy Week concludes. It falls between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This day honors Jesus as he lies in the tomb. It was also during this time that Jesus, who was in hell, was proclaiming his victory over death and sin. He also freed all of the righteous souls that had died before him. He bought all of them with him to heaven. On Easter Sunday, Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead and proclaimed his victory over death and sin. He died for our sins and allowed us to have eternal life with him and through him. Easter is followed by 50 days of celebration that the lord has risen from the dead. The 50th day is Pentecost, which is a holiday that celebrates the Holy Spirit coming down to the apostles.

Easter is a beautiful holiday that is celebrated around the world in different ways. No matter the way it is celebrated, it is still celebrated and loved by many. Easter is a great way to honor God and to profess your faith. If you aren’t religious, you can still celebrate Easter by being nicer to others and by showing your love to family and friends. You can also participate in Easter activities such as Easter Egg Hunts, egg dyeing, and meeting the Easter Bunny. Easter is a holiday that unites people, bringing them closer and allowing them to build new relationships and strengthen current ones. 

Grayson Donahue VM27 was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview Junior Liam O’Connor VM27. 

Liam tells us that Easter is the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and that the Easter Bunny brings chocolate to children.  Each Easter, his parents make him an easter basket with goodies and treats. The first thing he thinks of when he hears the word easter is Jesus’ resurrection and winning over sin and death. Liam mentioned that when he was younger, he used to go to his Papa’s house to spend time with family and eat lots of food, especially carrot cake.

Let us know your favorite Easter memories in the comments!