Tristan Hughes ’19, Business and Ad Manager
Hippity hoppity, Easter is on its way. With Easter just a hop around the corner, it is important to look back and remember the history behind the holiday, which sadly, has nothing to do with bunnies, or eggs, at all.
Easter has its roots in the Christian faith. Every year, Christians around the world come together on a Sunday in spring to celebrate their belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus established him as the son of God in the eyes of believers and is the foundation of Christianity. It is said that Jesus was resurrected three days after his crucifiction by the Romans around 30 A.D..
Easter Sunday marks the end of the Passion of Christ, a 40 day period of events and holidays starting with Lent. Other days significant to the Christian faith during this time are Good Friday and Holy Thursday. These are both the days leading up to Easter Sunday.
Easter 2019 falls on April 21, but this changes every year. This is because early Christians wanted to make it easy for people of the Jewish faith to convert. For this reason, Easter falls around the Jewish celebration of Passover.
Although the root of the holiday is religious, there are many nondenominational traditions that are observed today. One of these is of course Easter eggs and egg decorating. Eggs are symbolic of fertility and birth in Pagan traditions that predate Christianity. Many historians believe that eggs are included in celebration as an ode to the religious significance of Jesus’ rebirth.
Another Easter tradition with no connection to the church is the Easter Bunny. The origins of this treat-bearing rabbit are unknown, but historians believe it was brought to America by German immigrants in the 1700s. Rabbits, like eggs, are also symbolic of birth and renewal.
Whether you are Christian or not, Easter is a great time to come together with friends and family to celebrate the rebirth of life and spring.
Photo courtesy of history.com
Lyon Life 