Easter Eggs Food Recipes Cooking International Guide
Easter Eggs With Decorations And Celebrations
By Katerina Octanova
The collection and coloring of Easter eggs has been practiced
in conjunction with spring festivals for a very long time. But
between the two, Easter and the colored eggs, it might surprise
people to know that the decorated eggs historically came first.
It’s understandable that they would be recognized as a symbol
of fertility, and since spring is the season of the greatest fertility,
eggs have been used in spring celebrations since very ancient
times. The history of Easter as a Christian celebration came later,
absorbing the colored eggs as part of its symbolism.
A Continuation Of Ancient Traditions
Recognizing the life-giving property of eggs, myths and legends
of the past probably have some bearing on the use of Easter eggs
today. Many ancient cultures had myths, in fact, that claimed
the world itself was created from an originating egg.
You can find this sort of origin story in places like China,
India and Egypt, and eggs also appear to be associated with an
Anglo-Saxon festival for the fertility goddess Eostre. The meaning
of Easter, signifying new life and symbolized by the egg, seems
to be a continuation of many similar ancient traditions.
Celebrating Easter With Eggs
Even when Christianity adopted eggs as one of the symbols for
its own spring celebration, the practices that evolved for their
use varied greatly, depending on the sect of the church and the
culture in which it was found.
In the vast eastern branches of both the Catholic and the Orthodox
Church, for example, the outside of the egg is often painted red,
as a symbol of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. As the
shell cracks, this signifies the opening of the tomb, and the
egg inside stands for the new resurrected life.
Easter eggs today have taken on a life of their own, almost independent
of any Christian significance. They have become the subject of
intricate and colorful decorating techniques, particularly in
Slavic countries and especially in the Ukraine.
Decorating Eggs Has Become A Cultural Art Form
Dye resistant wax is painted on and the eggs are dipped so the
unprotected parts are colored, and the process is repeated until
the full design is created. These eggs have become almost completely
divorced from the meaning of Easter, and have turned into an independent
cultural art form.
Whether connected symbolically to the creation of new life or
revered as an artistic canvas, from ancient times until today
colored Easter eggs have captivated the human mind and spirit.
About the Author:
Katerina Octanova has written a number of articles on food and
cooking including Christmas
Gift Baskets, The
Christmas, Christmas,
Santa
Claus, Christmas
Hamper, Christmas
Party, Christmas
Gift For The Office, Christmas
Gift Idea For Family.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.
Did You Know?
When is Christian Easter celebrated?
Christian Easter is celebrated three days
after Good Friday. It typically falls in April. In 2010 the date
will be April 4th. Easter is one of many religious days that come
together consecutively. It begins with Palm Sunday, goes through
Good Friday (the day that Christ was hung from the cross and died)
and ends with Easter.
During those times people will honor their
faith through a variety of customs. Some will fast and attend
church services through the week leading up to Easter. Others
may only attend Mass or church on Easter Sunday itself.
Easter also takes place after Passover
is completed. Passover is a Jewish holiday. You do need to know
that Easter is moveable holiday or feast. It varies depending
on the calendar year.
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