We're here to help you with your ministry needs. Ostensibly about the Resurrection of Christ, the feast retains many of its pagan characterizations: eggs, rabbits, … 2006. Such festivals also tended to be opportunities for heavy drinking and merrymaking. This is an updated version of a piece published on March 21, 2018. Jewish pilgrims streamed into Jerusalem every year in the hope that God’s chosen people (as they believed themselves to be) would soon be liberated once more. This theory neatly ties in with some of our other Easter customs. If this is the origin of our word Easter, then the Church “baptized” the name, using it to denote that first Easter Sunday morning when Christ, our Light, rose from the grave and when the women found the tomb empty just as dawn was breaking. The term Paschal comes from the Latin word Pascha, which came from the Hebrew word Pesach, which in Hebrew means 'Passover', and relates to the Paschal mystery of salvation. contributed greatly to the use of models in understanding ecclesiology. By Father Larry Rice One of the mysteries around Easter, is how the holiday got its English name. And even though Christians had begun affirming the Christian meaning of the celebration, they continued to use the name of the goddess to designate the season.”. It’s from German Ostara festivals that we get the Osterhasen, or Easter bunny, and traditions involving eggs and sunrise services on hilltop. Some early Christians chose to celebrate the resurrection of Christ on the same date as the Jewish Passover, which fell around day 14 of the month of Nisan, in March or April. The English name for the Sunday of the Resurrection of Our Lord,… Meat, eggs, and other foods formerly forbidden in Lent are blessed and there are still numerous local customs, some of pagan origin. He entered Jerusalem in a triumphal procession and created a disturbance in the Jerusalem Temple. Avery Robert Cardinal Dulles, S.J. Most major holidays have some connection to the changing of seasons. The site has become a favorite resource of teachers of reading, spelling, and English as a second language. In his book explaining calendars and the reckoning of time, de temporum ratione, Bede wrote that the month Eostremonat (eh-oh-STREM-o-not) now known as April, was named after the goddess Eostre. “In Babylonia…the goddess of spring was called Ishtar. The New Testament gives no information about what time of year Jesus was born. Etymology. Recently I got a query from someone wondering about an anti-Catholic video that claimed “the pope’s deacon” invoked Lucifer during the Easter Vigil liturgy and referred to Jesus as his Son. In A.D. 325, the Emperor Constantine, who favored Christianity, convened a meeting of Christian leaders to resolve important disputes at the Council of Nicaea. In Greek, Paskha, in Italian Pasqua, In Scots Gaelic An Casca. The most commonly cited account of why the feast of Christ’s resurrection is called Easter comes from the seventh-century English monk, the Venerable Bede. reply: "He is Risen indeed!" In the Hebrew Bible, Passover is a festival that commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, as narrated in the Book of Exodus. Some of Jesus’ followers, however, believed that they saw him alive after his death, experiences that gave birth to the Christian religion. It is sometimes referred to as the "Easter candle" or the "Christ candle." Easter Island; Eastlake; Look at other dictionaries: Easter — • Includes information on the feast and customs Catholic Encyclopedia. According to folklore, the Easter Bunny hides Easter eggs for children to find on Easter morning. Given the symbolism of new life and rebirth, it was only natural to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at this time of the year. The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts aporta financiación como institución colaboradora de The Conversation US. The direction of … Welcome to Catholic Current! Kevin Knight. Most major holidays have some connection to the changing of seasons. The date of Easter, when the resurrection of Jesus is said to have taken place, changes from year to year. Through His Death, Christ destroyed our bondage to sin; through His Resurrection, He brought us the promise of new life, both in Heaven and on earth. This material may also be included in bulletins, on web pages, or used on social media. Brent Landau no recibe salario, ni ejerce labores de consultoría, ni posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pueda obtener beneficio de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de vínculos relevantes más allá del cargo académico citado. At the time of Jesus, Passover had special significance, as the Jewish people were again under the dominance of foreign powers (namely, the Romans). These Christians were known as Quartodecimans (the name means “Fourteeners”). For those in northern latitudes, the coming of spring is often met with excitement, as it means an end to the cold days of winter. Cognate with Old High German ōstarÅ«n, Old English Ēostre, Ēastre (a goddess who had a festival that was celebrated in spring), German Low German Oostern (“Easter”), German Ostern and German Osterfest (“Easter”). But what is the truth? The Greek adjective katholikos, the origin of the term "catholic", means "universal".Directly from the Greek, or via Late Latin catholicus, the term catholic entered many other languages, becoming the base for the creation of various theological terms such as catholicism and catholicity (Late Latin catholicismus, catholicitas).. Derechos de autor © 2010–2021, ASOCIACION THE CONVERSATION ESPAÑA, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. In The Two Babylons, Alexander Hislop claimed Eostre is actually a name derived from the Babylonian goddess Astarte. e[ a]ster, e[ a]stran, paschal feast, Easter; akin to G. ostern; fr. Anglo-Saxon Eastre, Teutonic goddess of dawn and spring” (Modern Catholic Dictionary, 1980, p. 175). From Middle English Ester, Eestour, from Old English ēastre (“Easter”), from Proto-Germanic *AustrÇ­ (“springtime, Easter”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsōs (“dawn”). It is important to point out that while the name “Easter” is used in the English-speaking world, many more cultures refer to it by terms best translated as “Passover” (for instance, “Pascha” in Greek) – a reference, indeed, to the Jewish festival of Passover. Like the French plural Pâques, it is a translation from the Latin Festa Paschalia, which refers to the entire octave of Easter or the eight days after Easter Sunday inclusive. The reason for this variation is that Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. The Venerable Bede, a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon historian, writes that the word Easter comes from the goddess Eostre, an ancient goddess of fertility and the goddess of the dawn who originated in what is now Scandinavia. The wild hare also became supplanted by the more docile and domestic rabbit, in another indication of how the focus moved toward children. The online etymology dictionary is the internet's go-to source for quick and reliable accounts of the origin and history of English words, phrases, and idioms. The Eostre theory is that the English word "Easter" is derived from the word "Eostre", which is taken to be an Anglo-Saxon or Celtic fertility goddess. Similar was the case with Easter, which falls in close proximity to another key point in the solar year: the vernal equinox (around March 20), when there are equal periods of light and darkness. Of course, that’s not what happened, but to understand what really did happen, you need to know a few things about “lucifer.” What does the word lucifer mean? In the earliest centuries of the Church, Christians spoke Aramaic, Greek, and Latin, and in those languages (as well as all of the Romance languages I am aware of), the word for “Easter” actually comes from the word for “Passover,” the Jewish feast that falls around this same time (and this is exactly what we should expect, since the death and resurrection of Jesus is our new Passover). As a result, Easter is now celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the vernal equinox. The centerpiece of his research is the etymology or origin of the word "catholic." Prior to the 17th century, children were rarely the center of attention. As Jesus died during the Passover festival and his followers believed he was resurrected from the dead three days later, it was logical to commemorate these events in close proximity. “Easter—the name Easter comes to us from Ostera or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, for whom a spring festival was held annually, as it is from this pagan festival that some of our Easter customs have come” (Hazeltine, p. 53). Lecturer in Religious Studies, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. Over time, early Christians started referring to the Feast of the Resurrection by the name of the month in which it was celebrated—Eosturmonath (what we now call April). Description In spring, dawns mark the beginning of … Even in English, the holiday wasn’t called Easter until the 8th century. From the 17th century onward, there was an increasing recognition of childhood as as time of life that should be joyous, not simply as preparatory for adulthood. Easter Easter † … Catholic encyclopedia. Catholic ecclesiology today has a plurality of models and views, as with all Catholic Theology since the acceptance of scholarly Biblical criticism that began in the early to mid 20th century. This is especially obvious in the case of Christmas. Yet it was only in the 17th century that a German tradition of an “Easter hare” bringing eggs to good children came to be known. When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, they brought this tradition with them. Easter … Most Catholics attend Easter Vigil at midnight, although the services can be lengthy because many sacraments are performed, such as baptisms and Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, during the Mass. Many scholars believe, however, that the main reason Jesus’ birth came to be celebrated on December 25 is because that was the date of the winter solstice according to the Roman calendar. The most fateful of its decisions was about the status of Christ, whom the council recognized as “fully human and fully divine.” This council also resolved that Easter should be fixed on a Sunday, not on day 14 of Nisan. With focuses on Church history, theology, saints, feasts, and seasons, these short documents can help answer many questions in your community. By choosing this date, they put the focus on when Jesus died and also emphasized continuity with the Judaism out of which Christianity emerged. Etymology dictionary. Facts of faith are great evangelization and teaching tools for your parish or school. This is evidence that the Easter celebration is actually a pagan celebration which the Church merely Christianized sometime in the early Middle Ages. The fact is, in nearly every other language in the world, Easter’s name is derived from the Hebrew word Pesach. Easter etymology Easter had quite a long journey before it looked like it does now. Several Eastern European legends describe eggs turning red (a favorite color for Easter eggs) in connection with the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, that is not accurate. It is at this point in the holiday’s development that Easter eggs and the Easter bunny become especially important. It seems that both of these actions attracted the attention of the Romans, and that as a result Jesus was executed around the year A.D. 30. The Easter Bunny is a symbol of Easter that is popular in western culture, especially with children. Related to English east. “Etym. I am a religious studies scholar specializing in early Christianity, and my research shows that this dating of Easter goes back to the complicated origins of this holiday and how it has evolved over the centuries. Since the days following the winter solstice g… EASTER. Etymology Easter (English) and Ostern (German) probably from Estre, Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring; names in other languages from Greek pascha, from Hebrew pesach (Passover) Meaning celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ : Greeting "Christ is Risen!" Decorated eggs had been part of the Easter festival at least since medieval times, given the obvious symbolism of new life. Easter, the Christian festival commemorating the resurrection of Christ, was the earliest feast day decided upon by the ancient Christian Church.Like its Jewish predecessor Passover, it is a movable feast, based on the lunar calendar rather than falling on the same Sunday every year.. Easter is not only the greatest Christian feast; Easter Sunday symbolizes the fulfillment of our faith as Christians. For instance, the New England Puritans regarded both Easter and Christmas as too tainted by non-Christian influences to be appropriate to celebrate. The fortunes of both holidays changed in the 19th century, when they became occasions to be spent with one’s family. The most commonly cited account of why the feast of Christ’s resurrection is called Easter comes from the seventh-century English monk, the Venerable Bede. This “discovery of childhood” and the doting upon children had profound effects on how Easter was celebrated. [Source: The Catholic Encyclopaedic Dictionary, pg. Easter in the Roman Catholic Church is always on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. However, the association between a rabbit and the resurrection of Jesus Christ appears tenuous at best, and the Easter Bunny has been accused of having pagan origins. Celebrating the Year of Amoris Laetitia Family, Answering our Church’s Call to Combat Human Trafficking, Q&A: The Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Shareable Image – To Him all the Prophets Bear Witness, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The naming of the celebration as “Easter” seems to go back to the name of a pre-Christian goddess in England, Eostre, who was celebrated at beginning of spring. Easter in the Catholic Church. AS. Two Catholic reference works are also open about the etymology of the name “Easter”: “The word Easter, which comes from the Anglo-Saxon, is a term derived from the pagan goddess of the dawn” (The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1987, p. 177). One of the mysteries around Easter, is how the holiday got its English name. Hares and rabbits had a long association with spring seasonal rituals because of their amazing powers of fertility. It is believed that she is the goddess of the dawn and was worshipped in the spring by pagans in Northern Europe and the British Isles. Easter is immediately preceded by Holy Week, which includes Maundy Thursday, the commemoration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples; Good Friday, the day of his Crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, the transition between Crucifixion and Resurrection. Many scholars believe,however, that the main reason Jesus’ birth came to be celebrated on December 25 is because that was the date of the winter solstice according to the Roman calendar. 2014. Our free resource library can help you inspire, inform, and engage Catholics in their faith. In all of these holidays, Christian and non-Christian (pagan) elements have continued to blend together. Another theory is that the English word Easter comes from an older German word for east, which comes from an even older Latin word for dawn. According to various sources, the name Easter has its origin with a goddess of the Anglo-Saxons named Eostre (also Estre, Estara, Eastre, Ostara, and similar spellings in various sources). But Easter and Christmas also became reshaped as domestic holidays because understandings of children were changing. While we do commonly use it to mean "universal," Ong points out that the Latin or Roman Church (as distinct from the Orthodox or Eastern Church) had a word for universal in Latin -- universalis . * Austron, a goddess of fertility and spring, probably originally of sunrise whose feast was celebrated at the spring equinox, from * austra -, from PIE * aus - "to shine" (especially of the dawn). Old English Easterdæg, from Eastre (Northumbrian Eostre), from Proto-Germanic *austron-, "dawn," also the name of a goddess of fertility and spring, perhaps originally of sunrise, whose feast was celebrated at the spring equinox, from *aust- "east, toward the sunrise" (compare east), from PIE root *aus- (1) "to shine," especially of the dawn. The New Testament gives no information about what time of year Jesus was born. But how does this connect to Easter, the feast of Christ’s resurrection? Bede was so influential for later Christians that the name stuck, and hence Easter remains the name by which the English, Germans and Americans refer to the festival of Jesus’ resurrection. It was and continues to be the most important Jewish seasonal festival, celebrated on the first full moon after the vernal equinox. This was done partly out of a desire to make the celebration of these holidays less rowdy. She is the Teutonic goddess of the dawn. 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