Bible Question:
Easter - what is its origin? Is it true Easter is derived from a Pagan celebration? |
Bible Answer: March 20th is the first day of spring – or, as astronomers would have it, the vernal equinox. "Equinox" means, literally, "equal night." As the tilt of the earth's axis changes throughout the year, there are two points in time when day and night are of equal length: the spring and autumnal equinoxes. This fact has been recognized for thousands of years and has given rise to a considerable body of springtime folklore. The season has also been conceived throughout human history as a time of organic and spiritual rebirth, following the "dying of the year" in winter. The ancient Germanic festival of Ostara in honor of the goddess Eostre (English, Eastre) celebrated the cyclical return of light and life with fertility rituals and symbols, some of which still survive in the modern observance of Easter. |