This year at our parish we’ll be having hot cross buns, coffee, and Easter Eggs after the first Mass, and our family was pegged to contribute some of the eggs.
So we’ve learned a handful of facts about Easter Eggs for the family project:
From ancient times the egg is symbolic of the grave and life renewed by breaking out of it. The egg itself is a symbol of the Resurrection: while being dormant it contains a new life sealed within it.
In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. Eggs laid during that time were often boiled or otherwise preserved. Eggs were thus a mainstay of Easter meals, and a prized Easter gift for children and servants.
In addition, eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. It is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, and Romans, used eggs during their spring festivals. Many traditions and practices have formed around Easter eggs. The coloring of eggs is an established art, and eggs are often dyed, painted, and otherwise decorated.
So you and your family are continuing to participate in this wonderful tradition.
3 Comments
April 3, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Hello! I love your new site! I love reading your weblog so it is nice now having you as a neighbour
The eggs are beautiful, by the way. Did you paint them?
Patience
April 3, 2007 at 5:22 pm
I like your new look!
I love your Easter Eggs. We have to dye eggs with Ami and her cousins sometime this week.
I like your categories. We are Catholic too, Byzantine Rite, more similar to the Greek Orthodox in practice but Catholic.
April 4, 2007 at 4:08 pm
I wish I could say these were our eggs! We’re doing ours on Friday. They will surely not look this cute, especially since we’re going to a party with about 40 other people for the dyeing. I figure if both my friend and I feel sufficiently guilty about going to/having a party on Good Friday that will make up for any impropriety.
We will probably go straight from Stations . . .