2007-03-21 11:30:33 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
And the Pagans come out of the woodwork to once again say [insert whiney nasal voice] "The Christians stole our holiday..."
Not true.
Easter stems from the Jewish Holy Day of Passover. Passover is called a "moveable feast" because it is based on the lunar calendar.
Passover begins on the 15th day of Nisan which is the first month of the Jewish ecclesial calendar.
Easter follows Passover every year. Hence Easter is a moveable feast.
Jesus celebrated the Passover with his apostles on a Thursday. Was crucified and died on Friday. Was raised to new life that Sunday.
As Passover is at a different time every year, so is Easter.
NOTHING to do with Pagan holidays. Always follows Passover.
Remember, people spoke simply then. In the early church we spoke Latin. Festa Paschalia, which is the Latin for Feast of Pasha or suffering - was mispronounced to Festa or Easter.
Much like Ember Days are a corruption of the Latin Quatuor Temporum. Tempor - ember...
No conspiracy. No holiday stolen from the pagans. Just simple people doing the best they can and sadly mispronouncing a name.
2007-03-21 12:55:11 · answer #1 · answered by Max Marie, OFS 7 · 4⤊ 3⤋
The name Easter comes from a pagan figure called Eastre (or Eostre) who was celebrated as the goddess of spring by the Saxons of Northern Europe. A festival called Eastre was held during the Spring equinox by these people to honor her. When second century Christian missionaries wanted the Saxons to accept Christianity, they decided to use the name Easter for this holiday so that it would match the name of the old Spring celebration. This made it more comfortable for those converts to accept Christianity and still retain some of their heritage. The goddess Eastres' earthly symbol was the rabbit, which was also known as a symbol of fertility. Originally, there were some very pagan (and sometimes utterly evil) practices that went along with the celebration. In our day, Easter is almost a completely commercialized holiday, with all the focus on Easter eggs, the Easter bunny, etc.
2007-03-21 21:34:18 · answer #2 · answered by Freedom 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Christians celebrate Easter as the time when Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and went to heaven. But Easter has it's roots in spring rituals celebrated by the Ancient Romans. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon, after the first day of Spring.
2007-03-21 18:36:25 · answer #3 · answered by Feathery 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Easter is a pagan holiday that celebrates spring and fertility. I have put a few links below for you to look at and research the meaning of easter.
To christians it is celebrating the dead and ressurrection of Jesus. There are people out there that use the holiday for different purposes whether right or wrong.
2007-03-21 18:44:42 · answer #4 · answered by busyliz 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
As a devout Pastafarian, I pay no attention to Easter.
But Talk Like A Pirate Day is on Sept. 19th. Arrrrgh, matey!
2007-03-25 18:04:49 · answer #5 · answered by catrionn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Easter is a modern pagan ritual based after the goddess of life Istar.
The word easter only appears in the bible once & it is mistranslated. It is in reference to Passover.
Acts 12:4
2007-03-21 19:28:19 · answer #6 · answered by Luv&Rockets 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
http://www.jesusisthelight.net/EASTER.htm
this site shows the origin of easter,and explains why it is NOT a christian holiday.True christians do not celebrate this holiday just like they do not celebrate christmas.we celebrate the gift that Christ gave us every single day of the year.Turning a pegan holiday into a christian one,doesnt change the fact that it was celebrated by pegans.Christ does not want us to celebrate the same practices that the un-Godly practice.But I understand,its hard to get used to not celebrating Christmas or Easter after you have grown up to do it,or raised your children doing it.But it is the way He wants us to go.
2007-03-25 11:50:29 · answer #7 · answered by kollette 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Easter was never about the Easter Bunny or chocolate eggs. It is a celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why would celebrate Jesus' death. We celebrate His death b/c He died in our place so that we wouldn't have to die. After 3 days, He then rose from the dead and ascended back to Heaven. Those who accept what He did for us will go to live in Heaven when they die.
2007-03-25 10:56:00 · answer #8 · answered by gregandmindypeters 1 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Again, my ancestor Jeremiah Pancho Vasquez.! You see, according to family records, back in 1256ad, 'ole Jeremiah Vasquez was employed as a garden worker in Prussia. Well, one day he got this urge to eat eggs.'Ole Jeremiah was just crazy about eggs, anyway, he could not simply take them from the Prussian king, so he devised a plan. What'ole Jeremiah did was pretend that a giant bird flew over the kings house, dropped those eggs that he stole from the king and he left laying in the courtyard, and said that it must be a sign of good luck!!! Ever since then, people would leave eggs on their yard to say that their house is blessed! Over the years, it changed over to a rabbit, but 'ole Jeremiah Vasquez started it all!
2007-03-25 12:42:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Try this link:
http://www.wxpnews.com/7J3HRJ/070320-Easter-Egg
2007-03-21 20:49:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋