|
Easter
Egg Trivia History
In Pagan times the
egg had been a symbol of continuing life and
resurrection since pre-Christian spring
celebrations. The long, hard winter was over and
with spring the earth burst forth and was reborn.
From ancient times eggs were dyed, exchanged and
shown reverence. The egg was believed to have
special powers.
As Christianity grew
it was easier for the early church leaders to
relate to the community using symbols that were
familiar to the pagan world. Today it is the
universal symbol of Easter celebrations throughout
the world and has been dyed, painted, adorned and
embellished in the celebration of its special
symbolism. The egg changed to represent, not
nature's rebirth, but the rebirth of man.
Christians embraced the egg symbol and likened it
to the tomb from which Christ rose. As the egg was
an obvious symbol to early Christians of Jesus
Resurrection, it was felt to be a most holy part of
the Easter celebration.
Even as early as the
Middle Ages, eggs were colored to be given as gifts
at Easter. In 1290 Edward I purchased hundreds of
eggs to be distributed to his household. In the
17th century, pope Paul V blessed the egg in a
prayer to be used in England, Scotland, and
Ireland: "Bless, O Lord, we beseech Thee, this Thy
creature of eggs, that it may become a wholesome
sustenance to Thy faithful servants, eating in
thankfulness to Thee, on account of the
Resurrection of Our Lord." Forbidden during the
solemn fast of Lent, eggs were reintroduced on
Easter Sunday, both as part of the feasting and as
gifts for family, friends, and servants.
|
