The Easter Tradition

Being a Filipino, Easter for me symbolizes only the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. For other countries, the symbol of Easter Sunday is a bunny, and the reason behind that, I do not know. However, I noticed, just like Halloween, we Filipinos are slowly celebrating Easter Sunday the 'Western-World' way. There were Easter egg hunts everywhere, even at Church. I am not questioning why this is happening; forgive me if I seem to be going in that direction. What made me really curious was the history behind the association of Easter Sunday to bunnies, and egg hunting. To satisfy my curious mind, I did a research on the said topic.

As it turns out, Easter is actually a pagan festival, to honor Eastre, the ancient Saxon's goddess of springtime and offspring. When Christian missionaries encountered these Saxon tribes, they tried to convert them, as well as their pagan celebrations. Coincidentally, the festival of the goddess Eastre was celebrated the same time as the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, the said celebration was celebrated on different days of the week, and not Sunday, until Emperor Constantine decreed it to be so.

As for the rabbit being associated with Easter, its origin is also related to the pagan festival for the goddess Eastre, since the rabbit was her earthly symbol. Why a rabbit, you may ask? The explanation is quite simple - they were the known most fertile animals that time, a perfect symbol of the spring season. It became a symbol of the Easter celebration we know today, when German settlers (Pennsylvania Dutch) introduced it to America in the 18th century. Childhood’s greatest pleasures would not be complete without the arrival of the "Oster Hase" or the Easter Bunny, just like the visit of Christ-Kindel (Santa Claus) on Christmas Eve. If children hang socks for Santa, back then, they built nests in secluded areas in their homes, where the Oster Hase can lay bright-colored eggs in. It was in Germany, during the early 19^th century, where the first edible Easter Eggs were made, and they were made of pastry and sugar.