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Easter Tradition
 The story behind Easter eggs and other Easter symbols
Have you ever wondered if you're missing some of the meaning or
Christian symbolism that surrounds us at Easter? The origins of some
familiar Easter symbols may surprise you.
Easter Eggs
In all cultures, the egg symbolizes the beginning of life or the
universe. Eggs were dyed and eaten during spring festivals in
ancient Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. These cultures regarded the
egg as an emblem of the universe, the work of the supreme divinity,
the germination of life. Christians of the Near East adopted this
tradition and the egg became a religious symbol — it represented the
tomb from which Jesus broke forth. The various customs associated
with Easter eggs were not recorded in Western Europe until the 15th
century. Speculation is that missionaries or knights of the Crusades
were responsible for bringing the tradition of coloring eggs
westward. In medieval times, eggs often were colored red to
symbolize the blood of Christ.
Easter Lilies
The lily is a symbol of purity because of its whiteness and delicacy
of form. It also symbolizes innocence and the radiance of the Lord's
risen life. It is called the Easter lily because the flowers bloom
in early spring, around Easter time. The Bermuda, or white trumpet,
lily was brought to the United States from Bermuda in the 1880s by
Mrs. Thomas P. Sargent of Philadelphia, and it has become a mainstay
of Easter floral arrangements and church decorations.
Hot Cross Buns
One of the oldest Good Friday customs is eating hot cross buns.
These small sweet buns, marked with a cross of white icing, may have
originated in pre-Christian times. Early Egyptians, Greeks and
Romans marked their loaves of bread with symbols to honor their gods
and goddesses. Many superstitions grew out of this custom — a cross
bun kept from one Good Friday to the next was thought to bring luck,
the buns were supposed to serve as a charm against shipwreck, and
hanging a bun over the chimneypiece ensured that all bread baked
there would be perfect. Another belief was that eating hot cross
buns on Good Friday served to protect the home from fire.
Dogwood Tree
As one legend goes, at the time of Christ's crucifixion the dogwood
tree was as tall as the oak and other forest trees. Its wood was so
strong and firm that it was chosen for the cross. The tree was very
distressed to be used for such a purpose and Jesus understood. He
told the tree, "Because of your regret and pity for my suffering, I
promise this, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough
to be used for a cross. Henceforth it shall be slender and bent and
twisted, and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross. In the
center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints.
And in the center of the flower, brown with rust and stained with
blood, will be a crown of thorns - so that all who see it will
remember it was upon a dogwood tree that I was crucified, and this
tree shall not be mutilated nor destroyed, but cherished and
protected as a reminder of my agony and death upon the cross."
Easter Parade
In the early church, those who were baptized at the Easter Vigil
dressed in white robes and wore the robes during Easter week as a
symbol of their new life in Christ. People who had been baptized in
previous years wore new clothes to indicate their sharing in the new
life. New clothes at Easter became a symbol of Easter grace. In
Europe during the Middle Ages, people in their new clothes would
take a long walk after mass, which has evolved into the tradition of
Easter Parades. An American belief is that good luck can be ensured
for the year by wearing three new things on Easter Sunday.
Courtesy of
Hallmark.
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