Paganism: Easter Symbolism

For those who are interested in Paganism. N.E. Chenier gives us a great history lesson on the symbolism of Easter from the name to the customs enjoyed by both Christians and Pagans. Enjoy!

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Easter Symbolism

By N.E. Chenier
San Diego Symbolism Examiner

The word “Easter”

“Easter” is derived from the name of a Saxon goddess named “Eostre” or “Eastre”, a goddess of fertility and dawn. The name recalls the words “east” and “shining”. The primary source for the connection comes from the Christian scholar Venerable Bede, writing in the 8th century about pre-Christian pagan practices. He found that the pagan calendar’s “Eosturmonath” (Eostre’s month) lined up approximately with April.

Other cognates of the name (including Astarte, Ishtar, and Ostara) all refer to dawn or spring (the dawn of the year).

Why is Easter so late this year?

Many are baffled by the shifting placement of Easter. The Bible puts Christ’s resurrection the Sunday after the Jewish Passover, and Passover is determined by a lunisolar calendar that predates our strictly solar calendar by a thousand years.

Because the Christian resurrection is in synch with the Jewish holiday, Easter attaches itself to both the lunar and the solar cycles. It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. In 2011, Easter is particularly late. This year’s equinox falls on March 20, one day after the full moon, so we have to wait at least 28 more days. The next full moon is on April 17th, on a Sunday, but Easter is the first Sunday afterthat full moon. So, we arrive at this year’s Easter on Sunday the 24th of April, just about as late as it ever gets.

April 25th is actually the latest possible Easter, which can happen when the spring equinox falls on the 21stof March. The last time that happened was in 1943, and it won’t happen again until 2038. The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22. The last time that happened was in 1818, and the next time won’t be until 2285. We got close in 2008, when Easter fell on March 23.

Easter Customs

Easter dovetails with many other spring rites celebrating the rebirth of the earth after a cold, dark winter. Goddesses figure prominently in such ceremonies. The pagan ceremonies still echo within the modern celebration of Easter. The goddesses like Astarte, Ostara, Ishtar, whose names are derived from that source goddess Eostre, bring many of their symbols to today’s celebrations... Full Article

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