Easter for Druids [Druid Study]

Easter for Druids [Druid Study] In Western cultures, Easter is perhaps the most important celebration after Christmas. Its origin is contained in pagan rituals and dates back to centuries before the birth of Christ. At that time, pagan tribes in Europe worshiped the goddess of spring, "EE-ah-tra", later called Eostre. In order to worship this goddess, at the end of March festivals were organized to celebrate the beginning of spring. It is believed that the name of the goddess Eostre evolved, both in English and in German, until reaching Easter and Ostern, respectively, which mean Easter. Passover was also celebrated by the Jews before the birth of Jesus but without any religious sense. It was celebrated as the day of freedom, after years of slavery in Egypt. For the Christian civilization, the word "Easter" comes from the Hebrew word "Passover" which means "passage" because it celebrates the rebirth of Jesus Christ and his ascension to heaven two days after his death on the cross (Good Friday) . The Easter Bunny In fact the animal chosen was a hare and not a rabbit. Since antiquity, the hare, whose gestation lasts only a month, has been considered the representation of the Moon, which in this same space of time passes from the darkness of the New Moon to the brightness of the Full Moon. And that was how, for ancient people, the last full moon after the winter equinox determined the date of Easter. The relationship of the hare to Easter is due to the fact that it was chosen by the Anglo-Saxon peoples of the pre-Christian era as the representative figure of fertility, due to its characteristic of reproducing quickly and in large quantities. At a time when the mortality rate was very high, hares were thus associated with an abundance of new life after a winter of deprivation, as well as synonymous with the preservation of the species and hope for better living conditions. There is, however, a legend that the Easter rabbit was actually a magnificent bird that belonged to the goddess Eostre and that one day became a rabbit. But as inside, in his soul, he continued to feel like a bird, he continued, already as a rabbit, to build his nest and fill it with eggs.   Easter Eggs The relationship of the egg with the different human cultures is already ancestral. Since the dawn of mankind, the egg has been regarded as nature's most perfect packaging. It is known that the Druid priests chose the image of the egg as their symbol. The Chinese were in the habit of painting paw eggs to celebrate the life that comes from them. In ancient Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome, eggs were given as gifts to celebrate the coming of spring and were cooked and eaten during the celebrations. These cultures considered the egg as a symbol of the universe, as the principle of life. However, the relationship between the egg and Easter did not arrive in Europe until around the 15th century. It is supposed that it was the missionaries and the crusaders who brought to Western Europe the custom of using eggs as Easter gifts, which at that time were painted red to represent the blood of Christ. Christians quickly adopted this tradition and the egg thus became one of the symbols of the time of Jesus Christ's resurrection. Around the 17th century, the first chocolate eggs appeared and later, in the 60s, plastic eggs filled with small chocolate eggs or candies appeared. But it is important to remember that Easter goes far beyond the simple exchange of eggs. It is a moment of reflection and that refers to the existence of Christ with a strong religious connotation. However, waking up in the morning and looking for the delicious and colorful eggs, hidden by the Easter bunnies, is a custom that cannot be forgotten because, in addition to being a lot of fun, it reminds us of wonderful childhood memories. In Celtic countries, at this time of year, the Goddess Oster or Eostre is remembered and honored with festivals that include flowers, bright colors, eggs and hares. Flowers and bright colors represent spring; eggs represent the possibility of new life; the rituals are performed in honor of Mother Nature, who will once again fertilize her fields and nourish the men who live on her bed; and the white hare is the sacred animal dedicated to the Moon, which symbolizes fertility and the Goddess. Namaste! May the gods bless everyone, From Brasil to the world, Paulo César Ebbano Moreira Druid Merlin instagram: @paulocesarmorteit Twitter: @EbbanoSaenger Sources: https://origemdascoisas.com/a-origem-da-pascoa/ http://thecelticdruid.blogspot.com/2014/04/pascoa-celta-ostara.html