What is the Easter egg story?

The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. Easter egg hunts and egg rolling are two popular egg -related traditions.

What is the story behind the Easter bunny and eggs?

The story of the Easter Bunny is thought to have become common in the 19th Century. Rabbits usually give birth to a big litter of babies (called kittens), so they became a symbol of new life. Legend has it that the Easter Bunny lays, decorates and hides eggs as they are also a symbol of new life.

Where did the tradition of Easter eggs come from?

According to many sources, the Christian custom of Easter eggs was adopted from Persian tradition into the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained them with red colouring “in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at His crucifixion”.

Do Jews hunt Easter eggs?

There is one Passover tradition similar to Easter egg hunts, which is the hiding of the Afikoman. The Afikoman is a half-piece of matzah broken into two pieces early in the Seder and eventually the head of the household hides the Afikoman somewhere in the house.

What does Easter Bunny have to do with Jesus?

In fact, the rabbit was the symbol of Eostra —the pagan Germanic goddess of spring and fertility. In other words, the Christian holiday of Easter, which celebrated the resurrection of Jesus, became superimposed on pagan traditions that celebrated rebirth and fertility.

Why do we hide Easter eggs?

Why do we hide eggs at Easter? In many pre-Christian societies eggs held associations with spring and new life. Early Christians adapted these beliefs, making the egg a symbol of the resurrection and the empty shell a metaphor for Jesus’ tomb. The men would hide the eggs for the women and children to find.

Why do we eat chocolate at Easter?

During the six weeks before Easter, known as Lent, Christians abstained from consuming animal products. This included all dairy and eggs. The modern tradition of eating chocolate eggs at Easter is a fun twist on the religious ritual, and makes it more accessible to children and those of a non-religious disposition.

Why do they call it Easter?

Why Is Easter Called ‘Easter’? St. Bede the Venerable, the 6 century author of Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (“Ecclesiastical History of the English People”), maintains that the English word “Easter” comes from Eostre, or Eostrae, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility.

Is the Easter Bunny evil?

Although traditions like the Easter bunny and Easter egg hunts seem as harmless as believing in Santa Claus, they actually have a significant association with pagan worship and rituals from the past.

What do eggs symbolize in Easter?

The egg itself became a symbol of the Resurrection. Just as Jesus rose from the tomb, the egg symbolized new life emerging from the eggshell. In the Orthodox tradition, eggs are painted red to symbolize the blood that Jesus shed on the cross.

How do you explain Easter to a child?

How To Explain Easter to Kids

1. The date of Easter changes every year.
2. Easter is the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
3. Easter marks the end of the 40-day period of Lent, which is a traditional time of fasting that begins on Ash Wednesday.
4. The week before Easter is known as Holy Week.

Why Easter is pagan?

Easter first started out as a celebration of the Spring Equinox: a time when all of nature is awakened from the slumber of winter and the cycle of renewal begins. Anglo-Saxon pagans celebrated this time of rebirth by invoking Ēostre or Ostara, the goddess of spring, the dawn, and fertility.

Why do we eat eggs in salt water on Passover?

Symbolic foods, including eggs, are part of the story. So it became customary in nearly all Jewish cultures that, at end of the Seder and before the parade of dinner food begins, hard-cooked eggs are eaten — dipped in salt water to remember the tears of the ancient Israelites and destruction of the Temple.

Can you eat eggs during Passover?

Whole eggs in their shell may be used without special Passover certification. Egg whites and pasteurized eggs are available with an OU-P. Please refer to the product search or the OU Passover guide for a complete list.