Why is Easter so late this year?
The date we celebrate Easter changes according to cycles of the moon. Easter is always on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the March equinox.
An equinox is when the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal in all parts of the world. It occurs twice a year, in March and September. The March equinox marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere whereas in New Zealand it is of course the start of autumn.
The timing of Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover celebration. Passover commemorates the Bible story of the Exodus in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. The name Passover refers to the fact that God passed over, or spared, the houses of the Jews when He was slaying the first-born of Egypt.
Because the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ happened after the Passover, the early church fathers wanted Easter to always be celebrated after Passover.
At the time of Christ’s resurrection there were no modern calendars, so the date was recorded according to the full moon that had just taken place. As the Jewish holiday calendar is based on solar and lunar cycles, the date of Passover, and therefore Easter, changes each year.
And why are eggs, bunnies and fluffy yellow chicks involved?
According to the University of Florida’s Center for Children’s Literature and Culture, the use of eggs, bunnies and chicks to symbolise Easter stems from pagan times before Christianity was established. The Pagans worshipped several gods and goddesses. When the Christian Church was first trying to convert the Pagans to Christianity they incorporated some Pagan practices into Christian festivals. This made Christianity more palatable to the Pagans.
Eggs have been symbols of rebirth and fertility for so long that the roots of the tradition are now unknown. Some say it dates back to the beginning of human civilisation.
Easter is derived from the name Eastre or Eostra, who is the German goddess of spring and fertility. Eastre’s symbol was the rabbit because of the animal’s high reproduction rate. The Pagans held feasts in her honour on the March equinox, which is of course springtime in the northern hemisphere. Spring is the time when eggs hatch giving birth to those cute chicks.
According to Wiki Answers, the first Easter bunny legends started in Germany in the 17th century. A story was published about a rabbit laying brightly coloured eggs in a nest hidden in a secluded place for children to find. These legends were taken to America in the 18th century when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country.
Eventually the nests became decorated baskets containing chocolate eggs, which are hidden in the garden for the now traditional Easter egg hunt.
So, if you are organising an Easter egg hunt this year or just enjoying a chocolate egg, spare a thought for the origins of our Easter celebrations.
Jo Bates
