Happy Easter!

As we awaken to our chocolate eggs and bunnies, I thought it would be interesting to explore the many origins and traditions of this major holiday.

Bunnies and Eggs 

Bunnies are left over from the pagan festival of Eostre, a great northern goddess whose symbol was a rabbit or hare. The exchange of eggs is an ancient custom, celebrated by many cultures. The egg is a symbol of fertility and of renewed life, and goes back to the ancient Egyptians and Persians, who also had the custom of colouring and eating eggs during their spring festival.

Hot Cross Buns 

Hot Cross Buns are inextricably linked to Easter and Christianity, but they have pre-Christian origins too. ‘Cross Buns’ were baked to celebrate Eostre, a Germanic Goddess of Fertility, after which the season of Easter is said to be named. Eostre was a maiden, always depicted surrounded by little birds, bunnies, and other baby animals, as well as spring flowers. Cross Buns were baked for the spring festival to celebrate this Goddess. The four quarters of the cross on top of each bun were said to represent the phases of the moon, while the cross itself symbolised rebirth after winter.

Resurrection 

At Easter, many celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, while others in the Northern Hemisphere community celebrate the Spring Equinox.

This was a well-known story of resurrection in the ancient world.

The ‘pagan’ version of the resurrection is a symbolic story of the death of the son (sun) on a cross (the constellation of the Southern Cross) and his rebirth, overcoming the powers of darkness.

The Sumerian goddess Inanna, or Ishtar, was hung naked on a stake, and was subsequently resurrected and ascended from the underworld.

One of the oldest resurrection myths is Egyptian Horus. Born on 25 December, Horus and his damaged eye became symbols of life and rebirth.

Mithras was born on what we now call Christmas Day, and his followers celebrated the spring equinox. Even as late as the 4th century AD, the Sol Invictus, associated with Mithras, was the last great pagan cult the church had to overcome. Dionysus was a divine child, resurrected by his grandmother. Dionysus also brought his mother, Semele, back to life.

However you celebrate Easter, I hope you have had a truly magical long weekend!