Easter is considered one of the most important days for Christians.
Let’s find ou more about it!
- The term ‘Easter’ came from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility.
- Some countries call it ‘Pascha.
- It means ‘Passover’ in Hebrew.
- Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus three days after his Crucifixion.
- Passion Week, or more commonly known as Holy Week, happens before Easter.
- Easter is a movable holiday due to the Passover date’s dependency on the phases of the moon.
- The official flower of Easter is the white lily.
- They symbolize grace and purity.
- People decorate their homes and churches with these flowers during Easter.
- The tradition of bunnies on Easter originated from Protestant communities in Europe.
- It began in the 17th century.
- It only became common in the 19th century.
- They believe that the Easter bunny lays, decorates, and hides the Easter eggs.
- Easter in the U.S. is celebrated by leaving children Easter baskets on the morning of the holiday.
- Easter in medieval times involves throwing an egg in churches.
- The custom would start with the priest throwing a hard-boiled egg to a choir boy.
- He who catches it would then toss it to another, and so on. Upon the clock striking 12, whoever holds the egg wins and keeps the egg.
- The Orthodox has it to paint the eggs red.
- Red symbolizes its sacred blood.
- In some European nations, people burn Easter fires.
- It is believed to symbolize fertility.
- In Greece, people burn “Judas” in some churches’ backyard.
- They “burn” the traitor.
- Pretzels also used to join in the Easter celebrations.
- Its shape was believed to remind of a prayer.
- Children would race on Easter morning to see who got a basket from the Bunny.
- The tradition of egg painting is called the ‘Pysanka’.
- It traces its origin from Ukraine and involves the use of dyes and wax in giving the egg color.
- The holiday has pagan origins.
- Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
- In the United States, only 12 states recognize Good Friday as an official holiday.
- Orthodox tradition bans the celebration of Easter on or before the Passover.
- In 1873, Fry’s of Bristol produced the first chocolate egg in the UK.
- Chocolate makes up 70% of all the candy purchased every Easter.
- Easter represents celebration, joy, and new life.
- In the 80s, Germany produced the first edible Easter bunnies made of sugar and pastry.
- The concept of the Easter bunny giving eggs and candies traces its origin in Germany.
- The first written document of the said tradition appeared in the 16th century.
- Dutch immigrants brought the bunny ideas to the United States when they settled in Pennsylvania.
- This happened around the 1700s.
- Several cultures perceive rabbits as a symbol of new life.
- The German legend of the Easter Bunny tells the story of a woman who plants hidden decorated eggs throughout the town on occasions of famine. Upon finding eggs, children would then see a big bunny hopping off.
- Eastern and Western Christians celebrate Easter on different dates.
- Normally, the difference is no more than 2-3 weeks.
- Eastern Christianity bases its Easter dates on the Julian Calendar.
- People in the U.S. spend an average total of $14.7 billion on Easter celebrations.
- During Easter, mass attendance in churches doubles.
- Over 28,000 or 59% of Americans eat the ears of the chocolate Easter bunny first.
- Easter ranks second to Halloween where Americans spend the most money on candy.
- The first versions of Easter baskets resembled bird’s nests.
- Egg farmers in America donate over 11 million eggs to food banks nationwide.
- Candy must be made all-year-round to meet the annual Easter candy demand
- The history of Easter began in the 2nd century.
- Easter is the oldest among Christian holidays.
- Early Christians used to observe Christ’s Resurrection every single Sunday.
- When they started celebrating the then-pagan holiday Easter, they settled on dedicating the whole day to Him annually.
- Easter comes after forty days of Lent in the Christian calendar.
- The count does not include Sundays. Traditions include fasting and deeds of penance.
- The Holy Week before Easter Sunday has dedicated names and recognitions.
- In the Good Friday in recognition of His Crucifixion.
- The Holy Saturday is the day of transition for the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
- Western Christianity observes Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox.
- It involves both Catholics and Protestants.
- Due to the complex calculations, Easter Sunday could be anytime from March 22 to April 25
- In Polish folklore, the Virgin Mary offered eggs to the guard soldiers of Christ on the cross.
- As she begged for their mercy, her tears dropped and left stains on the eggs.
- Early egg dyes were made using natural materials.
- Among the holiday eggs is one called ‘The Real Easter Egg’.
- President Rutherford Hayes initiated the annual egg roll tradition at the White House.
- President Donald Trump’s current press secretary was an ex-Easter Bunny.
- People in Scotland and North-East England would roll painted eggs down steep hills.
- South Americans do it as well.
- The only difference is that they use spoons.
- Dyeing chicks for the Easter season reached the point of debate among celebrants.
- The Czar of Russia funds Faberge annually for an enameled Easter egg.
- The tradition of buying new clothes for Easter started in New York in the mid-1800s.
- They believed it would bring them good luck.
- Some people believe that Good Friday came from ‘God’s Friday’.
- This theory has no etymological basis.
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