easter

[elenaprocter]

EASTER history

[good2skull]

I think it is comes from Eostre (spelling?) who was I think a goddess in Anglo-Saxon times and her festival. Can someone furnish my answer a little ?

[andy hughes]

Easter is indeed a Christian adaptation of an Anglo-Saxon rite of celebration of a new crop season, named after the goddess Eastre. The early Christians found that the feast of Eastre coincided with their celebration of the re-birth of Christ, so they 'adopted' it, and gradually introduced the Christian concept, changing the spelling in the process. The date of Easter - March 22 - April 25 is determined by moon phases and a calculation created over a thousand years ago, and lasting in perpetuity. Eggs are used in common with a number of pagan religions who regard the egg as a symbol of re-birth. The Easter Bunny again dates back to Eastre - her earthly form was said to be that of a rabbit.

[incitatus]

Not a rabbit if anglo saxon! A hare! rabbits were introduced by the normans! Hares are still the subject of lots of folklore, and notoriously go loopy around march when the whole mating cycle takes off. Hence association with oestre. The spelling is very variable, by the way. Middle english was not really a written, stable language.

[mrsrobinson]

Hence "oestrus" and "oestrogen", perhaps? Just surmising :-)

[Ginbottle]

That is true in your surmising, Mr S Robinson or please Mrs Robinson.

[incitatus]

Mrs Robinson! I think he's trying to seduce you!

[mrsrobinson]

Aren't I supposed to ask him if he wants me to do that?! :-)