Where in the world is Easter cause for physical aggression? We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. Vampires drink blood also. Joanna Gillan is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. In the underworld, she enters through seven gates, and her worldly attire is removed. U… What’s Behind Increasing Paranormal Activity? You'll also need a fire, so if you can do this ritual outside, that's even better. “The food is also quite an interesting tradition. Philip’s Fountain: The Oldest Still-In-Use Hydraulic Work in the World, Arkaim: Aryans, Advanced Astronomy and Untold Secrets of a Russian Citadel. Various measures have been taken to counter the negative effects, with some providing better results than others. According to Jacob Grimm’s Deutsche Mythologie , the idea of resurrection was ingrained within the celebration of Ostara: “Ostara, Eástre seems therefore to have been the divinity of the radiant dawn, of upspringing light, a spectacle that brings joy and blessing, whose meaning could be easily adapted by the resurrection-day of the christian’s God.”. Is this a 300 million-year-old screw or just a fossilized sea creature? Antek. The rishis have always been telling us that matter is not as real or as solid as we think. Easter is associated with the Jewish festival of Passover through its symbolism and meaning, as well as its position in the calendar. He feels fortunate to have been able to visit many of the ancient wonders that he read about in history books. Many of those beliefs were very much in tune with nature – animal births, seasons, and cycles of the moon and sun. Eggs, chicks, green grass, and sweets speak to the ancient celebration of new life and rebirth during warm spring days. Easter is here again and... Easter corresponds with the first Sunday following the full moon after the March equinox and as such the holy day occurs on different dates around the Christian world. Lent is the period of 40 days leading up to the Easter feast. Most people are familiar with the story of Atlantis, the legendary sunken city as described by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. . Most analyses of the origin of the word ‘Easter’ agree that it was named after Eostre, an ancient word meaning ‘spring’, though many European languages use one form or another of the Latin name for Easter, Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew Pesach, meaning Passover. Sources:Religious Tolerance.“Easter: Its Pagan Origins” Accessed 6 Jun 2016.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism. Pagan origins of Easter: Many, perhaps most, Pagan religions in the Mediterranean area had a major seasonal day of religious celebration at or following the Spring Equinox. I am sure he will also enjoy reading this piece. © 2009-2020 Historic Mysteries. Where Did the Polynesians Really Come From? Whether it is observed as a religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, or a time for families in the northern hemisphere to enjoy the coming of Spring and celebrate with egg decorating and Easter bunnies, the celebration of Easter still retains the same spirit of rebirth and renewal, as it has for thousands of years. Many of these islands were discovered comparatively recently in our history, and... My pious Baptist grandmother once shockingly confessed, at the ripe old age of 93, that she didn’t want to go to heaven. Eostre was the Saxon mother goddess, the source of all things and the bringer of new life. Frazer’s association of pagan rituals with Christian practice is of an entirely different order than the Church’s practice of repurposing local custom for religious significance. In Brazil, where there's a tradition of "beating up" Judas, the apostle known for betraying Christ. She has a rich and varied career, ranging from teaching... Read More, Thank you for not attributing the Bunny-Bird hybrid (Easter Bunny) myth to Ishtar as I've seen many times online, due to poor/ a lack of research. Pagan was originally a term used to describe people who practiced non-Christian religions. If you make it a week or two in advance, you can enjoy it as a centerpiece prior to burning it in the ceremony. Credit: Inna / Adobe Stock. The rabbit, a symbol of fertility and agility, was sacred to Ostara. Jim has always had a strong passion for travel, archaeology, and history. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, ... the blessing of fire and water and although I didn’t understand everything I appreciated the similarities to my pagan beliefs in the ritual. Joanna completed a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) degree in Australia and published research in the field of Educational Psychology. The Answers Are at the Heart of the Easter Story, The Surprising Truth About Fasting for Lent, Hanukkah Origins: ‘Miracle of Oil’ Exalted a Religious Freedom Victory in Ancient Jewish Temple, Ancient Sumerian Origins of the Easter Story, History of Easter: Exploring the Ancient Origins of the Modern Holiday, Synchronizing Science and Religion? Imagine some of your energy and spirit flowing out from your heart chakra and into the tree. Although Easter has become known as a Christian holiday around the world, celebrating the sacred death and rebirth of Jesus, the true pagan Easter and its symbols is a clear testament to the historical melting pot of cultures and traditions that make Easter what is today. 7.2 million-Year-Old Pre-Human Fossil Suggests Mankind Arose in Europe NOT Africa, Ancient Anomalous Human Skeletons: Humanity Could be Much Older Than We Think. Interesting history topics are just a click away. Related: Lughnasadh: The Celtic Pagan Harvest Festival. Real people in America and all over the world are being harmed in this depraved and inhumane rituals; adults and children alike. A farmer in Burkina Faso looked to his ancestors and came up with an innovative solution. A Jewish family celebrating passover. Thus, even this aspect of the holiday is connected with pagan celebrations of the cycles of nature. He derived the word from an Anglo-Saxon mother goddess of the spring, dawn and new life and beginnings, called Easter. You really need to broaden your knowledge of Christianity beyond Europe! We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. You do realize that 300 million or so Orthodox Christians have never celebrated ‘easter’ nor do they follow the date of the Western calendar calculations for Pascha (the Paschal celebration of the Resurrection). Question. For Christians in Western traditions, Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. While many of the pagan customs associated with the celebration of Spring were at one stage practised alongside Christian Easter traditions, they eventually came to be absorbed within Christianity, as symbols of the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus died at the time of the Passover feast, but the Passover is not Easter and Jesus did not die at Easter time. Origins Of Easter And Pagan Rituals. In 325 AD, Emperor Constantine convened a meeting of Christian leaders to resolve important disputes at the Council of Nicaea. But the origins of today’s very Christian holiday are firmly rooted in the ancient traditions of pagan religions from many parts of the world. The red is for the blood of Christ, the egg is a tomb and cracking the egg represents the resurrection! The term, which had a derogatory connotation, was assigned by early Christians. Alongside the overtly religious celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection, people of all ages and beliefs enjoy colored eggs, egg hunts, candy rabbits, and chickens. Origin of Easter: From pagan festivals and Christianity to bunnies and chocolate eggs . We hardboil and dye eggs red. Why Was Such a Colossal Bath Tub Built for Tsar Alexander I? For example, the resurrection of Egyptian Horus; the story of Mithras, who was worshipped at Springtime; and the tale of Dionysus, resurrected by his grandmother. Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. Some early Christians chose to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on the same date as Passover, which reflects Easter having entered Christianity during its earliest Jewish period. According to the New Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “The word Easter is of Saxon origin, Eastra, the goddess of spring, in whose honour sacrifices were offered about Passover time each year. Where are Ashkenazi Jews from? Ancient Origins © 2013 - 2020Disclaimer - Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy - Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. Is “Easter” a pagan feast? Why We Find Solar Observatories and Astronomical Features in Churches, Scientists Unscramble Secrets to World of Ancient Ostrich Eggs, March 29: When Viking and Christian Sun Gods Drew Swords, Easter Island’s Birdman Cult: A Story of Struggle and Survival. All rights reserved. So, what does pagan mean and, more specifically, what involves a pagan Easter? The truth is that Easter has nothing whatsoever to do with the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. While Easter, as we know it today, was never a pagan festival , its roots and many of its traditions have associations with ancient pagan customs and beliefs. The holiday called easter is this Sunday. Easter, which celebrates the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ, is a holiday actually based on an ancient Pagan ritual. Here we will explore some of those perspectives. So where did the tradition of an egg-toting Easter Bunny come from? As outlined previously, a hare was a symbol associated with Eostre, representing the beginning of Springtime. Etruscans Transported Bees by Boat to Reach the Best Flowers! https://www.ancient-origins.net/.../ancient-pagan-origins-easter-001571 If your family enjoys ritual, you can welcome back the sun at Yule with this simple winter ceremony. It is celebrated precisely 13 days after Imbolg, thus imprinting upon it the number ’13’, Satan’s number of extreme rebellion. A Net Inceptions project. At Easter, ... "I think Easter and Easter customs in a Christian sense can't be separated from spring rituals," Gerhard said. Celebrated at Spring Equinox on March 21, Ostara marks the day when light is equal to darkness, and will continue to grow. The Pacific Ocean is a world filled with diverse and remote islands, which are the home to some truly unique natives. It is only an illusion projected by our senses. Thoth’s Enigmatic Emerald Tablets May Provide the Answer, Miners Strike Ice Age Gold Finding a Mummified Wolf Cub, An Ox, an Ass … a Dragon? Today, I had a brief conversation with a work college about Easter. Christian’s today celebrate Easter Sunday as the resurrection of Jesus. Pyramids in Sicily: Forgotten Remnants of the Sea Peoples? Today’s Easter is a mix of symbols from Christianity and traditions far older. Our red eggs come from ancient times and have no association with bunnies. Alongside the overtly religious celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection, people of all ages and beliefs enjoy colored eggs, egg hunts, candy … After Inanna has been missing for three days her assistant goes to other gods for help. The Descent of Inanna. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday are Satanic ritual days. But it wasn’t until the tradition made its way to the United States via the arrival of German immigrants, that the custom took on its current form. It is a word which was used by the rishis (sages) of ancient India to describe the nature of this universe of changing forms. Those people were subject to the pejorative term, which served as a form of social pressure to convert to Christianity, and identified targets for discrimination. Still partially a bird, the hare showed its gratitude to the goddess by laying eggs as gifts. By the eighth century Anglo–Saxons had adopted the name to designate the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.” However, even among those who maintain that Easter has pagan roots, there is some disagreement over which pagan tradition the festival emerged from. 3. The Easter bunny, however, appears not to be a borrowing from pagan rituals. Easter is an ancient spring festival. The Langeid Viking Battle Axe and a Warrior Who Singlehandedly Held Off the Entire English Army, Ten enduring mysteries of the Longyou caves, Gallowglass Mercenaries – The Notorious Norse-Gael Soldiers of Fortune, The Pyramid Complex and the Hopi: Creation Myth Sheds Light on Building Plan, Maya: Science Only Acknowledges Now What Ancient Sages Knew About Reality 5000 Years Ago, Santa’s Horned Helper: The Fearsome Legend of Krampus, Christmas Punisher, The Knights of Blanik Mountain Are Ready to Face the Darkest Hour, Ancient Race of White Giants Described in Native Legends From Many Tribes, The Man Who Stopped a Desert Using Ancient Farming, Han Purple: A 2,800-year-old artificial pigment that quantum physicists are trying to understand, Beyond the Pyramid Ramp: Unravelling Egypt’s Most Elusive Enigma. Frazer’s association of pagan rituals with Christian practice is of an entirely different order than the Church’s practice of repurposing local custom for religious significance. 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