resurrection of Jesus to members of the Christian Church, it is not
entirely a Christian festival. Its origins go far back into Pagan rites
and customs.
The name of the holiday which people today know as Easter comes from the
Anglo-Saxon Goddess Eostre, the Goddess of Dawn.. (Pronounced Ostara) In
early times an annual Spring Festival was held in her honor. (Compton's
Encyclopedia and Fact index Vol 7.)
The Pagan festival held at the Vernal Equinox to honor Eastre, the
Goddess of Dawn, was called Eastre (ee-as-ter) in Old English. Since the
Christian festival celebrating Christ's resurrection fell at about the
same time, the pagan name was borrowed for it when Christianity was
introduced to England, the name later being changed slightly to Easter.
(ee-ster) (The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins)
As with other Christian holidays, there was also a holiday in ancient
times that was celebrated at about the same time. In this case, it was
the celebration of the vernal (Spring) equinox, the tribute to the
Goddess of Spring, Eostre. Eostre was an Anglo-Saxon Goddess who is
reputed to have opened the gates of Valhalla for the slain Sun God,
Baldrun, thereby bringing light to man. Easter also refers to the rising
of the Sun in the east.
At the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., it was agreed the Easter would be
linked to the Full Moon on or following the Spring Equinox. Which is why
Easter can be in March or April, it occurs on the first Sunday following
the Full Moon after the Spring Equinox.
The majority of the Easter traditions celebrated today are ancient and
Pagan in origin. Around the Christian observance as the climax of the
liturgical drama of Holy Week and Good Friday, folk customs have
collected, many of which have been handed down from the ancient
ceremonial and symbolism of European and Middle Eastern Spring festivals
brought into relation with the resurrection theme.
When Christianity first spread across Europe, believers in the new faith
changed many of the older rites and ceremonies, adapting them to fit
with the life and teachings of Jesus. They did not try to stop people
from having a great Spring festival for their old Pagan Goddess, Eostre.
Thus throughout the customs associated with Easter, there is a blending
or interplay of symbols of spring with the religious significance of the
resurrection.
