Why is this holiday called Easter? Why is Easter called Easter? Why is Easter cake called Easter? What does the Old Testament say?

The meaning of the word "Easter" can be found in many languages, such as Hebrew, Latin or Greek. What is noteworthy is that the translation of this term in all languages is absolutely the same - “passing by.” People who profess Orthodoxy are more familiar with this word, which serves as the name of the most important festival in their religion. This celebration is also called It is celebrated after Lent and falls on different dates every year. However, why was Easter called Easter? The answers to this question can be found further.

How Easter was celebrated

Looking through ancient manuscripts and literature, it is easy to discover that the Easter celebration was celebrated even before the Nativity of Christ. The event was an established celebration of the Jewish residents. It was customary to celebrate this day in a narrow family circle. The main celebration took place on New Year's Day

And yet, why is the holiday called “Easter”? On this day it was necessary to make a sacrifice, which was called Easter. A young lamb or goat was killed so that heavenly grace would descend on the herd and its leader. The sacrifice was made with caution, since it was considered shameful to damage even one bone of an animal when slaughtering. The blood of the lamb was smeared on the doors, and the meat was eaten in the house. From this ancient celebration came the tradition of calling this day that way.

Why is Easter called Easter? What other arguments are there? The holiday itself took on a different, broader and more sacred meaning. Still, the Son of God sacrificed himself to protect all humanity and so that the power of his father would descend on all people. With metaphysical significance, the celebration of Easter is considered the most important for the people today. According to legend, it was on this day that humanity gained a second chance, purifying itself with a sacrifice made out of love and receiving a blessing. That's why people stick to it before Easter.

Kulich - a symbol of the Resurrection

Large fragrant bread (yeast cake) with the image of the Resurrection or with a cross is considered a ritual baked goods in the Orthodox Church and signifies the rebirth of Jesus. Why is Easter called Easter? Yes, because this cake is also an integral part of the holiday. It is usually baked for the main religious celebration of all Orthodox Christians - Easter. Christians, in addition to Easter bread, also serve shortbread bread. Together with colored eggs and Easter cake, they are the main dishes of the festive feast.

Spiritual designation of Easter cake

Artos (translated from Greek as “leavened bread”), a tall yeast pastry with a silhouette of a thorn halo and a cross design, as well as prosphora are baked separately to celebrate Easter and the Resurrection of Christ. According to the Old Testament, the apostles, when they began to eat, left a part in the center of the table empty in order to put bread for Jesus Christ, who was invisibly nearby.

Why is Easter called Easter? There are some other legends that can tell about this. On Easter Day, the artos is carried with the procession and placed in the church on a special table. This baked goods lie in the monastery all week. After the blessing on Saturday Bright Week, it is given to all believers. This is a symbol of the fact that Christ became the true bread of life for the Orthodox.

The cake itself is similar to artos. Such pastry is baked during Holy Week on Maundy Thursday and blessed in church. Yeast is used to bake bread (this dough replaces the Old Testament unleavened bread). Consequently, Easter cake is also a sign of the progress from the Old Testament to the New.

What does the Old Testament say?

In this commandment, the Passover lamb was called the lamb killed for the festival - an example of Jesus' next sacrifice. By sacrificing himself, he protected the human people from grief, torment, punishment and hell. When Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared in new flesh.

Why is Easter cake called Easter? There is an answer to this question. In the Old Testament at one time there was no concept of Easter cake. The Passover lamb was eaten with tasteless unleavened bread (cakes) and bitter herbs. has a pagan birth and is considered a symbol of the Phallus - the pagan god of fertility. The spiritual essence of Easter cake lies in the fact that, by eating it, the Orthodox people approached the light of the Resurrection.

Why is Easter called Easter?

In popular custom, Easter was celebrated as a celebration of the renewal and development of life. This was predetermined not only by the Orthodox thought of the Rebirth of Jesus, but also by the existence in folk customs of pagan opinions about the spring awakening of nature after winter sleep.

According to popular religious concepts, any person should have celebrated Easter restored physically and spiritually, prepared for it during the long period of Lent. Before Easter, it was necessary to restore order on the streets and in houses, wash walls, floors, windows, whitewash ceilings and stoves, repair fences, and take out the garbage that had accumulated after the winter. In addition, it was necessary to wash well in the bathhouse and sew new clothes. On this bright holiday, a person was supposed to forget all insults and evil, remove all bad thoughts, not enter into marital relations and not sin.

Different beliefs

Why is Easter called Easter? After all, this holiday is fraught with many legends. Easter Day is so pious and pure that demons and devils fall through the ground, and their screams and sobs can be heard during the Easter Vigil.

The peasants believed that on this day they could see what was invisible on ordinary weekdays, and they asked the Lord for everything they wanted. It was believed that if you lower the candle with the flame downwards during the Easter service, you can see the miracle worker. And if you stand at the threshold with cottage cheese, then you can easily recognize a witch walking by and waving her tail.

What happened on Easter night

The Russian people associated Easter with the fulfillment of desires. People believed that on this day they could ensure success in their work for the whole year. If he combs his hair on Easter Day, he will have as many grandchildren as there are hairs on his head. And if during the service a young woman turns to God with requests to send her a good husband, then the groom will propose to her soon.

The idea of resurrection from the dead formed the basis of the opinion that on the night of Easter the spirits of the departed descend to earth. If desired, those who grieved for the death of their loved one could see him in church at the liturgy, listen to his complaints and appeals.

Why is cottage cheese called Easter?

Often people cannot distinguish Easter from Easter cake, and this is very common. In reality, Easter cake is a flour product, and Easter is a cottage cheese product. The tradition of creating a curd product for Easter is more common in the central parts of Russia. In other regions, they simply don’t know about this product, and they call it Easter cake.

Why is Easter called Easter? Also because preparing a curd product is as important a process as baking Easter cakes. There is an opinion that this culinary product represents the Holy Sepulcher (its shape resembles a truncated pyramid). This dish, like Easter cake, is considered one of the main symbols of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. And similarly, it, being a dessert dish, means the pleasure of endless life. There are also suggestions that Easter is a symbol of Heavenly Zion - the origin of the New Jerusalem.

Secrets of Easter Island

Easter Island is a piece of desert land lost in the Pacific Ocean and belonging to Chile. The whole world knows it thanks to its unusual stone monuments. So why was Easter Island named that way? What's special about it?

A Dutch admiral named Jacob Roggeveen, who sailed from Amsterdam to explore Davis Land, was far from the first European to discover Easter Island. However, he was the first to establish its location. And it was Roggeveen who named the island that way (his ships moored to it just on the day of the great Orthodox holiday of Holy Easter). It was April 5, 1722.

Having gone ashore, the sailors noticed that the local inhabitants had lit fires in front of huge stone statues. These monuments have long surprised visitors, who still cannot understand how those people were able to build them without resorting to the help of construction equipment and technology. At that time, approximately three thousand natives lived in the area discovered by Roggeveen. They called their island Rapa Nui (“navel of the earth”).

It is considered the oldest and most important religious celebration. It was established in honor of the true divine resurrection of the Savior from the dead. The event is the center of the entire gospel history and the basis of the religious teachings of Christianity.

Mention of Easter in the Old Testament

The term has its roots in the Hebrew word “Pesach,” which translates as “passed by.” It recalls the event when the Wrath of the Lord, which destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, passed through the homes of the Jews. In the Old Testament, Passover (Passover) was celebrated in memory of the fact that the Jewish people managed to escape from Egyptian captivity.

The word "Easter" originates from the name of the Old Testament holiday of Passover.

After a while, the name began to sound like “piskha” in Aramaic, and then entered into Greek, Latin, French, Russian, etc. For compatriots, the great holiday of Christians began to be called Easter. Gradually, the meaning of the name changed somewhat - from now on it was interpreted as rebirth from earthly death to true life.

Read about celebrating Easter:

Just as the Lord led the Jews out of the people, the believer was freed from the shackles of sin through the death and resurrection of the Messiah. That's why The Passover of the Old Testament was a prototype of the Passover of the New Testament.

Christ rose again on the anniversary of the Jewish Passover. The Jews were preparing to celebrate the exodus of the people from Egypt, but this grandiose event changed the course of the history of religions. The Savior rose, and Saint Mary Magdalene was the first to see the Son of God. Two holidays, Passover and Easter, overlapped each other.

In Orthodoxy, the holiday of Easter is established in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ

However, Jews place greater importance on Passover, because this holiday is much older than the Easter tradition.

Description in the New Testament

The New Testament Easter is often mentioned in the Holy Scriptures; its most accurate description is found in the apostles, who consider the Last Supper in their texts. It was at the last supper that Christ uttered phrases and performed acts that changed the original meaning of the celebration. The Savior put himself in the place of the Old Testament lamb and became the lamb of the New Testament, who was slain for the sake of cleansing humanity from sin once and for all time. After this, the ritual of the Eucharist became the Easter meal.

Note! The status of Easter is expressed in the phrase “triumph of celebrations”; the date of this great celebration is calculated annually according to the calendar of the Sun and Moon. Due to this, the holiday is transitory.

Before Easter itself there is a long and strict Lent, which lasts seven weeks. After it, you are allowed to eat any food and consume church wine.

Bright Sunday of Christ is the main holiday of all Christians

However, even during this strict fast, the Church sets aside three special days during which food indulgence is allowed.

In the Easter stichera the following words are sung: “Easter Christ the Deliverer”; in other words, the Savior, as it is sung in the lamp: “Easter is incorruptible, the salvation of the world.”

But most often - after the words “Christ is Risen!” and “Truly he is risen!”—we hear one word: “Easter.”

This is how this holiday is usually called by everyone and everywhere, which means that its main meaning is concentrated in this word; and therefore let us briefly recall the well-known history of this holiday.

And the Jews will be spared. But to do this, they must anoint the doorposts and lintels of their houses with the blood of a special lamb, slain as a sacrifice to God in place of the firstborn. And then the destroying angel will pass by the Jewish houses; and all of them will remain alive; and the firstborn of Egypt will die.

At midnight this execution took place. And the Jews fulfilled what God commanded through Moses and were saved from death. Then Pharaoh and the people began to beg the Israelites to quickly leave their land. And they hastily left and freed themselves from Egyptian captivity. And according to the commandment of God, they established for all time to celebrate this “night of vigil”, as a sign of the salvation of their firstborn and, in general, the liberation of the entire people. And that day itself was called “Easter,” which means “passed by.” That is, the destroying angel that night passed—in Hebrew “passover”—past the Jewish doors marked with the blood of the lamb; and this lamb began to be called the “Paschal lamb” or “Easter” for short. This means that the word “Easter” in Russian can be translated as “passing” of death by the Jews; or - salvation from death, deliverance from execution; and then - liberation from captivity for the return to their promised land, which was then the purpose of God's Providence for the chosen people.

And the Jews celebrated this event on the Passover holiday according to a special ritual: they slaughtered a pure one-year-old lamb; without crushing his bones, they baked him on fire; and ate it that night with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. And the remains of the bones were burned in the morning. Moreover, they ate in girded robes, with shoes and staves in their hands, as if ready for the journey from Egypt. “: ...this is the Passover of the Lord. And may this day be memorable to you; and celebrate this feast of the Lord throughout all your generations...” (Ex. 12, I, 14).

And from that time on, this holiday became the head of all Jewish holidays for all times.

“And when your children say to you, What kind of service is this? tell them: this is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed by the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he defeated the Egyptians, and delivered our houses" ( Ref. 12, 26-27).

And it came out of Egypt "up to six hundred thousand men on foot, excluding children" (Ex. 12:37).

Thus began the accomplishment of the salvation of the chosen people.
Source: www.pravmir.ru

From here the Christian meaning of Easter becomes clear: salvation by Christ (as Easter=sacrifice) from the power of the devil.

“Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29).

“Our Easter, Christ, was sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).

Jews celebrate Passover as a holiday of Freedom in memory of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt (for more details, see), while Christians have put a different meaning into this day and celebrate it as the resurrection of Christ. Just as death passed by the homes of the Jews, and they were freed from Egyptian slavery and received the Promised Land, so on Christian Easter, Resurrection of Christ, eternal death passed by us: The Risen Christ, having freed us from the slavery of the devil, gave us eternal life.

The holiday of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, Easter, is the main event of the year for Orthodox Christians and the largest Orthodox holiday. The word "Easter" came to us from the Greek language and means "passing", "deliverance". On this day we celebrate the deliverance through Christ the Savior of all mankind from slavery to the devil and the granting of life and eternal bliss to us. Just as our redemption was accomplished by Christ’s death on the cross, so by His Resurrection we were given eternal life.

The Resurrection of Christ is the basis and crown of our faith, this is the first and greatest truth that the apostles began to preach.

Passion of Christ

Easter: History and Traditions

Easter - Holy Resurrection

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Why is the holiday called Easter?

This holiday existed in Israel long before the emergence of Christianity in memory of the exodus from the land of slavery - Egypt. The sacrifice itself was called Passover: “On the tenth day of this month, let everyone take for themselves one lamb according to their families, one lamb per family; ...and let it be kept with you until the fourteenth day of this month: then let all the congregation of Israel kill it in the evening, and eat it with haste: this is the Passover of the Lord” (Exodus 12: 2, 6, 11).

The word "Passover" (Heb. "Passover") literally means "to jump over something", "to go over", "to leave untouched", that is, to pass by or spare, as the Angel destroying the firstborn passes by the houses of the Israelites, the crossbar the doors of which are anointed with the blood of the lamb. There are Old Testament and New Testament Easter.

How was Easter celebrated in ancient times?

God originally commanded the Israeli people to celebrate Passover in memory of the exodus from Egypt on the 10th day of the month of Nissan (another name for the month of Aviv, corresponding to March or April of the modern calendar). On the 14th day of the month, the ritual slaughter of a one-year-old male lamb without blemish was prescribed.

With the help of a bunch of hyssop, it was necessary to anoint the doorposts with the blood of the animal. The lamb was to be roasted over a fire and eaten whole, without breaking the bones, in the family circle during the Passover night, with bitter herbs - a symbol of the bitter, hard life in slavery, and with unleavened bread (unleavened bread, Heb. "matza"), which reminded of hasty exit from Egypt, when there was no time left to make leaven dough. (Exodus, chapter 12). The Easter lamb was a symbol of sacrifice, which, on the one hand, testified to mercy, on the other hand, a joint meal testified to communication with God and with each other.

Easter in the New Testament.

The roots of Christian Easter lie in the Jewish holiday. According to the Gospel of John, Jesus died on Friday the 14th of Nissan, on the eve of the Jewish Passover. The morning of the day when Jesus was resurrected corresponded to the first day of the new week, in Russian-speaking culture later called Sunday. The death and resurrection of Christ coincided with the Easter holiday, and He Himself, as an atoning sacrifice, was likened to an innocent lamb (lamb), killed according to custom before the beginning of this holiday. Just as God's chosen people were delivered from the slavery of Egypt, all who believe in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ are freed from the slavery of sin and gain hope of eternal life. In His death and resurrection from the dead lies the foundation of Christianity.

Therefore, the New Testament Easter is, first of all, a remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ, of the opportunity to eat bread and wine as a sign of memory of Him. This was written in the Bible by the disciples-apostles (last supper). He commanded the forgiveness of sins through His atoning sacrifice. A few days before these events, the last supper of Jesus Christ took place (Matthew 26: 26 - 28) “And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying: Take, eat: this is My Body. And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” This institution is still observed in all Christian churches and is called the Sacrament of the Eucharist or Communion.

Easter symbols and customs. Why egg?

Long before the appearance of Christ, ancient peoples considered the egg to be the prototype of the Universe - from it the world surrounding man was born. The attitude towards the egg as a symbol of birth was reflected in the beliefs and customs of the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans. Among the Slavic peoples who adopted Christianity, the egg was associated with the fertility of the earth, with the spring revival of nature.

In Rome, the custom of dyeing eggs is associated with the name of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. On the day Marcus Aurelius was born, one of his mother's hens allegedly laid an egg marked with red dots. The happy omen was interpreted as the birth of the future emperor.

Since 224, it became a custom for the Romans to send colored eggs to each other as congratulations.

The custom of giving eggs for Easter originates from the legend of Mary Magdalene, who was one of the most faithful disciples of Jesus. According to legend, after the ascension of the Lord, she ended up in Rome and preached the Gospel to Emperor Tiberius. Before the start of the sermon, she handed him a red egg with the words: “Christ is risen!”

A more rational version of this tradition claims that it’s all about animals, or rather, chicken instincts and the forty-day Lent. At this time, it was forbidden to eat many foods, including eggs. However, the Christian calendar had no meaning for the laying hens, who continued to lay eggs with the same activity - on the usual days and the time of day that suited them. People, wanting to preserve eggs, boiled them, and in order not to confuse them with uncooked eggs, they colored them, mainly using natural dyes. Soon the urgent need turned into a ritual accompanying the Easter holiday.

In the pagan tradition of ancient Rus', they put chicken eggs with symbols of their kind on a tray and went from house to house, asking the owners:

“Are you ready to sow? Is your seed strong? After the exchange With playful greetings, there was a “competition” in the form of hitting eggs with symbols of both families. In case of a broken egg, its ownerThey gave the egg of the “offenders” with the words: “Your seed is weak, take ours!” Children also broke eggs by hitting them with the blunt end against each other. Whose egg cracked the least is the winner. They also broke eggs on the forehead of another person as a joke, seizing the moment so that it would be unexpected for him.

Now you can find Easter eggs of the brightest colors: blue, red, yellow, with a pattern in the form of stripes or dots; with images of animals, birds, flowers; decorated with ready-made stickers and even colored ribbons.

And also... chicks, hens and a rabbit! Where are they from?

Chickens and hens have taken root more in the Eastern Slavic tradition. They are depicted on postcards and calendars, they are elements of home decoration and children's toys for Easter. The chicken, like the Easter egg, is a symbol of rebirth and continuity of life.

In the West, the rabbit has also become a symbol of Easter. In Western church tradition, it is the rabbit, not the chicken, that brings the Easter egg. The Easter bunny, as a symbol of fertility and wealth, became one of the main attributes of Easter in Germany in the 16th century and has since spread throughout the world. Toys, sweets and souvenirs are made in the shape of bunnies and used to decorate the Easter table. Scientists have long debated the origin of the rabbit as a symbol of Easter. Many of them believed that the rabbit is a symbol of fertility of the ancient German goddess Ostera.

The Easter Bunny symbolizes abundance and fertility, as everyone knows the ability of this soft and furry animal to reproduce. On the day of the spring equinox, the ancient tribes of Europe honored Ostera - the Goddess of Spring, who holds an egg in her hand and looks at the rabbit playing at her feet. Other names of the goddess Oster are Esther, the eastern version of the name Astarte, Ishtar.

Where are the Easter cakes from?

There is a custom of preparing special bread in homes - Easter cake - and carrying it on Easter Day to the church vestibule for blessing along with cheese and eggs. Kulich is a ritual bread that belongs to the Easter table. The custom of consecrating bread and treating it to Easter has both Christian and pagan roots.

Kulich, as well as prosphora and artos, took the place of matzo in the worship of the Orthodox Church. The use of matzo (unleavened bread) entered into ancient Christianity, signifying cleansing from the sinful leaven of paganism and the salvation of the believer from the death of the soul in sin.

The Slavic pagan basis of the tradition of baking Easter cake lies in the custom of making ritual bread from sour dough fermented with yeast in the spring on the eve of sowing. By sacrificing this bread to the earth, the elements or ancestors, farmers sought to magically appease them, gain support and ensure the fertility of the earth and a bountiful harvest.

With the passage of time, Christian and pagan traditions became inextricably intertwined in the popular consciousness; At the same time, along with the predominant Christian significance of Easter cake, its use in productive and protective agricultural and cattle-breeding rituals continued to actively exist. Russians know two main names for ritual bread: “Kulich” and “Easter”/“Paska”. It could have a different shape, but more often it was round, high, with a protruding upper part (“top”, “head”), in the middle of which a cross was made from dough.

According to popular pagan beliefs, Easter cake was an obligatory element of the Easter meal for the dead. Pieces of it were left on Easter night at the shrine and taken along with other Easter dishes to the cemetery. The ritual significance of Easter cake was very great. The peasants tried to preserve and use every piece of it. The top of the “Easter”, endowed with the greatest magical power, was preserved everywhere. Usually housewives baked not one, but several Easter cakes, each of which was intended for its own purpose: one for themselves, another given to the priest, the third intended for cattle (“cattle paska”), with the fourth they went to sow (“sowing paska”). In ancient Rus', in the spring they celebrated the degree of readiness for the start of spring field work and the laying of the foundation of the harvest, and Easter cakes were a symbol of fertility and fertility.

How to treat Easter symbols?

The Bible says in Romans 14:3, “If anyone eats, do not despise him who does not eat; and whoever does not eat, do not condemn the one who eats, because God has accepted him.” It is appropriate to recall another quote from the Epistle to the Romans: “Do you have faith? have it within yourself, before God. Blessed is he who does not condemn himself in what he chooses. But he who doubts, if he eats, is condemned, because it is not by faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin” (ibid., verses 22 and 23).

Over two millennia, Christians have absorbed so many pagan traditions that today some Christian holidays have changed beyond recognition. While respecting the customs of different cultures and peoples, it is appropriate for Christians to use symbols and traditions based directly on the Bible. First Corinthians 10:27-28 says, “If one of the unbelievers calls you and you want to go, then eat whatever is offered to you without any examination, for [peace of] conscience. But if anyone says to you, “This is sacrificed to idols,” then do not eat for the sake of the one who is young.

Why does God give this command?

In order to make a sacrifice for all humanity after twelve centuries. The sacrifice must be perfect, without blemish or sin. Where can I get one? If all people have sinned, not one is righteous. Romans 3:23 says, “...For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God conceived a plan for the appearance of man without the participation of a man, since sin was transmitted through blood from generation to generation. Modern scientists have proven that the blood of a baby in the womb does not come into contact with the blood of the mother, because they have different blood systems. That is why Jesus Christ is born without the participation of a man, without original sin.

This is stated in the Gospel of Luke 1:35: “The angel answered and said to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Many prophets of the Bible spoke about the fact that Christ must suffer and through this save people from sins. John the Baptist pointed directly to Christ, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” As mentioned earlier, a lamb is a sacrificial lamb that was slaughtered at Passover. His blood was able to stop the Angel of Death, who came to Egypt to kill all the firstborn. Christ became the sacrificial lamb who shed blood so that the sins of mankind would be forgiven, atoned for by this sacrifice.

These historical events, which radically changed the course of history, occurred precisely on the eve of the ancient holiday of Easter. Therefore, Easter of our time is, first of all, a remembrance of the death of Christ.

During Easter week, a special memorial day is set aside to remember this - Good Friday. On the first day of the week after Easter, Jesus rose from the dead, and this day is called Sunday. As the Apostle Peter said: “God raised Him up, breaking the bonds of death, because it was impossible for it to hold Him.” John Chrysostom exclaims: “Christ has risen, and hell has been cast down! Christ has risen and the demons have fallen! Christ has risen and the angels rejoice! Christ is risen and life triumphs! Christ is risen and no one is dead in the tomb! For Christ, having risen from the grave, is the firstborn of those who died. To him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen".

Press center of the Church "Salvation"