- Origins of Easter - Holiday Ideas for every occasion

Origins of Easter.. KEYWORDS: how easter got started history of easter origin of easter holiday origins

Easter is perhaps nowadays seen as a mostly Christian festival but in fact its origins lie in three religious faiths - Pagan, Hebrew and Christian.

Pagan tradition suggests that the name Easter is derived from Ostara or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring to whom the month of April was dedicated.

Another Pagan tradition that can coincide with Easter is the vernal equinox or the Festival of Spring in March, which symbolises the rebirth of nature following the cold days of winter.

Even today Pagan symbols live on in the celebration of Easter with the hare, a symbol of fertility, becoming the Easter Bunny and brightly decorated eggs which were originally used to represent the colours of the new spring. Eggs were also an important fertility symbol.

Easter is also connected to the Hebrew "pesach" (Passover) festival that is an important date in the Jewish calendar commemorating the flight and freedom of the Israelites from Egypt and slavery when the angel of death "passed over" their dwellings offering them protection.

Passover is celebrated over eight days and many of the early Christians, who were of Jewish origin, regarded Easter as a new feature of the Passover festival.

According to Christian tradition Easter is a major celebration marking the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was crucified on what is known to Christians as Good Friday and was resurrected three days later on Easter Sunday. Rolling decorated Easter Eggs is seen to represent the rolling away of the rock from the tomb of Jesus.

Easter marks the end of the period of Lent that begins on Ash Wednesday and is a time of penitence in preparation for the highest festival of the church. Although there are 46 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday Lent itself only lasts 40 days as Sundays are excluded.

The last week of Lent is celebrated as Holy Week and begins with Palm Sunday that marks the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as the crowds laid palms at his feet. Holy Thursday marks the Last Supper before the anniversary of the crucifixion on Good Friday.

Easter is a moveable feast as churches in the west celebrate it on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox on 21st March. That means Easter Sunday can be as early as the third week in March or as late as the fourth week in April.