The history of Easter
Tandrea Madison
Issue date: 4/13/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
It's time for colored eggs, a white bunny, an egg hunt and baskets overflowing with toys and candy. It's about family, friends, ham dinners and the end of Lent. It's about getting together.
The history of Easter is a mix of pagan tradition and Christian belief. According to wilstar.com, "Ancient Saxons celebrated the return of spring with an uproarious festival commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime, Eastre." This festival included a feast and also happened around "the same time as the Christian 'Resurrection of Christ.'"
For Christians, Easter begins long before the actual holiday. Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is the day before Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent. Lent, according to religionfacts.com, is a "40-day period of fasting and repentance culminating in Holy Week, and followed by a 50-day Easter Season that stretches from Easter to Pentecost."
With so much history of food and gatherings, it's no surprise that so many students have plans that include their families, church and food.
Illustration major Desiree Seusy said her family still has Easter dinner, despite her parents being divorced. "I usually have dinner with my family," Seusy said. "It rotates every year though; mom one year and dad the next."
For some, the central meeting place isn't with one parent or another, it's with a family member.
"I'm going to my aunt's for dinner," said Danielle Brown, an undeclared freshman. "Everyone will be there."
For others, Easter isn't so much of a family thing as it is a community thing. Counseling education graduate student Benito Lakandula explained that his whole community would be getting together, providing activities for children and adults.
"It's just going to be a gathering for our community," he said. "There'll be an Easter egg hunt for the kids, karaoke, food and everything."
Other students will be traveling to family or family will be traveling to them.
"My mom and brother are coming up from L.A. for my softball games this weekend, so we'll probably go to church," said child development major Chrystal Wise. "It's going to be a turnaround trip for them, so they probably won't stay for dinner.
The history of Easter is a mix of pagan tradition and Christian belief. According to wilstar.com, "Ancient Saxons celebrated the return of spring with an uproarious festival commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime, Eastre." This festival included a feast and also happened around "the same time as the Christian 'Resurrection of Christ.'"
For Christians, Easter begins long before the actual holiday. Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is the day before Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent. Lent, according to religionfacts.com, is a "40-day period of fasting and repentance culminating in Holy Week, and followed by a 50-day Easter Season that stretches from Easter to Pentecost."
With so much history of food and gatherings, it's no surprise that so many students have plans that include their families, church and food.
Illustration major Desiree Seusy said her family still has Easter dinner, despite her parents being divorced. "I usually have dinner with my family," Seusy said. "It rotates every year though; mom one year and dad the next."
For some, the central meeting place isn't with one parent or another, it's with a family member.
"I'm going to my aunt's for dinner," said Danielle Brown, an undeclared freshman. "Everyone will be there."
For others, Easter isn't so much of a family thing as it is a community thing. Counseling education graduate student Benito Lakandula explained that his whole community would be getting together, providing activities for children and adults.
"It's just going to be a gathering for our community," he said. "There'll be an Easter egg hunt for the kids, karaoke, food and everything."
Other students will be traveling to family or family will be traveling to them.
"My mom and brother are coming up from L.A. for my softball games this weekend, so we'll probably go to church," said child development major Chrystal Wise. "It's going to be a turnaround trip for them, so they probably won't stay for dinner.
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Anonymous
posted 4/19/06 @ 9:41 AM PST
One of the idols of the organised church is what? Their traditions. And some of their favourite traditions are what? Their high holy days, their holidays as we now call them. (Continued…)
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