The meaning of the word "Easter" can be found in many languages, such as Hebrew, Latin or Greek. What is noteworthy, the translation of this term in all languages is exactly the same - "passing by." People professing 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 the Ascension of the Lord. It is celebrated after Lent, annually on different dates. However, why was Easter called Easter? The answers to this question can be obtained further.
As Easter was celebrated
Looking through old manuscripts and literature, it is easy to find that the Easter celebration was celebrated even before Christmas. The event was an entrenched festival of Jewish residents. This day was usually celebrated in a narrow family circle. The main celebration was on the day of the new phase of the moon.
And yet, why is the holiday called Easter? This day was supposed to make a sacrifice, which was called Easter. A young lamb or goat was killed so that heavenly grace descended to the herd and its leader. The sacrifice was brought with caution, since it was considered shameful to damage at least one bone of the animal when it was healed. The blood of the lamb was smeared with doors, and the meat was eaten in the house. From this ancient festival, the tradition went on to call this day.
Why is Easter called Easter? What other reasons are there? The holiday itself took on a different, more extensive and sacred meaning. Nevertheless, the Son of God sacrificed himself for the protection of all mankind and for the sake of the power of his father to descend on all people. With metaphysical significance, the triumph of Easter today is considered the most important for the people. According to legend, just on this day, mankind gained a second chance, being cleansed by a sacrifice that was made in the power of love, and receiving a blessing. That's why people keep a strict fast 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 ceremonial pastries in the Orthodox Church and signifies the rebirth of Jesus. Why was Easter called Easter? Yes, because this Easter cake is also an integral part of the holiday. He is usually baked for the main religious celebration of all Orthodox - Easter. Christians, in addition to Easter bread, also serve sand "grandmas" to the table. Together with colored eggs, cottage cheese Easter and Easter cake are the main dishes of the festive feast.
The spiritual designation of Easter cake
Artos (translated from Greek as “leavened bread”), a high yeast muffin with a silhouette of a halo of thorns and a cross, as well as a prosphora, are baked separately for the celebration of Easter and the Resurrection of Christ. According to the Old Testament, the apostles, beginning to feast, left a piece in the center of the table empty to lay bread for Jesus Christ invisibly next to him.
Why was Easter called Easter? There are still some legends that can tell about this. On Easter Day, the artos is carried with a procession and put it in the church on a special table. This bun lies all week in the monastery. After the blessing on the Saturday Bright Week, it is given to all believers. This is a symbol of the fact that Christ turned to the Orthodox for the true bread of life.
Kulich himself is a kind of arthos. They bake such a muffin during Holy Week on a clean Thursday and consecrate it in the church. Yeast is used for baking bread (this dough replaces the Old Testament unleavened bread). Therefore, the Easter cake is also a sign of the passage from the Old Testament to the New.
What the Old Testament says
In this commandment, Easter refers to the lamb slain at the festival - an example of Jesus' next sacrifice. Sacrificing himself, he protected the people from grief, torment, punishment, and hell. When Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared in the new flesh.
Why is Easter cake called Easter? There is an answer to this question. In the Old Testament, the concept of Easter cake did not exist at one time. Easter lamb ate with tasteless unleavened bread (cakes) and bitter herbs. Easter bread has a pagan birth and is considered a symbol of the Phallus - the pagan god of fertility. The spiritual essence of Kulich lies in the fact that, having tasted it, the Orthodox people approached the light of the Resurrection.
Why Easter is called Light
In the common custom, Easter was celebrated as a triumph of the renewal and development of life. This was predetermined not only by the Orthodox idea of the Renaissance of Jesus, but also by the existence in the folk customs of pagan opinions about the spring awakening of nature after winter sleep.
According to widespread religious concepts, any person should have celebrated Easter restored physically and spiritually, prepared for it during the long Lent. Before Easter, it was necessary to clean up the streets, in houses, wash walls, floors, windows, whitewash ceilings and stoves, repair fences, and remove garbage accumulated after winter. In addition, it was necessary to wash well in the bath and sew new clothes. On a bright holiday, a person had 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 still fraught with many legends. Easter Day is so pious and pure that demons and devils fall through the earth, and their cries and sobs can be heard during the Easter all-night service.
The peasants believed that on this day one could see that which was imperceptible in ordinary everyday life, and asked the Lord for all that they desired. It was believed that if during the Easter service to lower the candle flame down, then you can see the miracle worker. And if you stand at the threshold with cottage cheese, then without difficulty you can recognize the witch walking past and waving her tail.
What happened on Easter night
Easter was associated with the fulfillment of desires among the Russian people. People believed that on this day you can ensure yourself success in work for the whole year. If an elderly person combs his hair on Easter day, then he will have as many grandchildren as he has hair 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 make her an offer soon.
The idea of resurrection from the dead formed the basis for the opinion that on Easter night the spirits of the departed descend to earth. If desired, the one who yearned for the death of his loved one could see him in the church at the liturgy, listen to his complaints and appeals.
Why cottage cheese is called Easter
Often people cannot distinguish Easter from Easter cake, and this is very common. In fact, Easter cake is a flour product, and Easter is a curd product. The tradition of creating a curd product for Easter is more generally accepted in the central parts of Russia. In other regions, they simply do not know about this product, and they call it Easter cake.
Why was Easter called Easter? And also because the preparation of cottage cheese is as important a process as baking Easter cakes. It is believed that this culinary product denotes the Holy Sepulcher (its shape is like a truncated pyramid). Such a dish, as well as Easter cake, is considered one of the main symbols of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. And likewise, being a dessert, it means the pleasure of endless life. There are also suggestions that Easter is a symbol of Heavenly Zion - the origin of New Jerusalem.
Secrets of Easter Island
Easter Island is a piece of desert land, lost among the Pacific Ocean and belonging to Chile. The whole world knows him thanks to unusual stone monuments. So why did they call Easter Island that? What is so special about it?
A Dutch admiral named Jacob Roggeven, 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 his location. And so the island was named exactly Roggeven (his ships moored to him just on the day of the great Orthodox holiday of Holy Easter). It was April 5, 1722.
Going ashore, the sailors noticed that the local inhabitants 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 the help of construction equipment and technologies. In those days, about three thousand natives lived on the square discovered by Roggeven. They called their island Rapa Nui ("navel of the earth").