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Easter is a moveable feast. That means it doesn’t fall on a specific calendrical day, but rather its date changes each year – in this case, in relation to certain seasonal and astronomical factors. (short thread)
But to me, also “moveable” because the meaning of Easter has change – shifted – throughout my life. And I don’t just mean because I’ve learned about Easter’s historical roots and deeper presence in the world (but, yes, that too).
I was raised a Catholic – baptised, confirmed (Anthony), some American Catholic schooling, altar boy – all that. But I haven’t been a card carrying member for something like 30 years.
I’m lapsed.
I’m lapsed.
But I still celebrate Easter every year. I like to have people over. I make quiche (recently found a great vegan quiche recipe, which I’ll post below). My wife makes ham. It’s weird but we make it work. Mimosas help. https://www.inspiredtaste.net/19516/mimosa-recipe/
Most literally, of course, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Crucified on Friday, dead, entombed. And then risen from the dead. If you give it some thought and reflection, it’s a powerful story, even if you’re not or have never been Christian.
But, of course, it’s not unique to Christianity. It’s closest relative is Jewish Passover. After all, Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover meal – that’s ostensibly why he went to Jerusalem in the first place – a town in which he was a wanted man.
Passover celebrates the final plague against the Egyptians during the Israelite captivity – the killing of Egyptian first-born children by the angel of death. The Israelites marked their doors with the blood of new-born lambs, and the angel knew to pass over their doors.
After this, the Pharaoh let them go. Over time, the Passover festival celebrating the Exodus conflated with another Jewish holiday celebrating the first of spring’s fruits, and became indelibly linked to the vernal equinox.
As is Easter. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.
What? https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/determining-easter-date.html
What? https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/determining-easter-date.html
(incidentally, and I may be a bit off-Jewish friends please chime in-some believe the Cath Church was trolling when it set the date for Easter (which it did in 325), by pitching in mid-Passover, but also by setting it on the Christian Sabbath (sun) not the Jewish (sat).)
In many languages, the word for Easter is derived from the word for Passover. For example: French, Paquês; Spanish, Pascua; Russian, Пасха; Greek, Πάσχα; Basque, Pazko; Albanian, Pashke; Swedish, Påsk, etc.
(In Hungarian it’s called “Húsvét” or “meat-taking,” which, even as a vegetarian, I love the literalness of!)
But not in English. We use the Germanic, Easter (Germ, Ostern). Folk etymology around this is that it comes from the name of a pagan spring goddess, Eostre (Ostara), a notion 1st proposed by Bede in the 8th cent. Others argue it comes from Babylonian Ishtar or even Hebrew Esther.
I believed the Eostre version for a long time–it’s a great story–but it’s probably not true. Or, at least, there’s no direct evidence – Bede might even have made up Eostre (the Old English name for April was something like Eastermonth, which was trying to explain).
But Eostre or no, there’s no doubt that pagan celebrations of the vernal equinox long pre-dated the Christian Easter. Ancient Mayan temples observe it, in W. and C. Asia, a variation on Nowruz has been celebrated for over 7k years. https://www.playadelcarmen.com/blog/equinox-chichen-itza/
It’s probably not a coincidence that Paddy’s day falls so close to the equinox, as the Celts would have celebrated it, too.
All of these celebrations are about rebirth (the word April might come from the Latin verb “apirere,” to open). After the long winter, once again, the earth awakens. Flowers bloom, trees bud, grass grows. Bunnies mate, eggs are laid.
And this is why I continue to celebrate it. Easter is a promise that the earth makes as much as any god:
Life will.
Life will.
That can be hard to remember at a time like this. People are sick, and sad, and frustrated. Life is passing us by, or even discarding us, in a way.
But look at all those pictures of cities with less air pollution, read the stories of birds and fish and other wildlife returning. Life wants to live, and it’s returned quickly. The earth wants to breathe. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/11/positively-alpine-disbelief-air-pollution-falls-lockdown-coronavirus
The powers that be will try to undermine any understanding or growth that we as a species take away from this experience, they’ll try to strip away the silver linings.
We don’t have to let them.
This year on Easter, I’ll be celebrating a reconnection with the earth, with the life around me, with all you fellow living and loving humans.
There’s a darkness now, to be sure . . . a sadness. But Easter reminds us that even after the darkest of winters, spring comes. Life returns, we are reborn. And we can manifest that rebirth in the way we choose. I hope we’ll choose wisely.
In the meantime, peace, everybody!
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter!
(yummy vegan quiche recipe:
https://jessicainthekitchen.com/easy-vegan-quiche-gluten-free-unbelievably-divine/)
