The annual 'Origin of Easter' thread

[Kitan Etos]

[abaris]

[quote='Kitan' pid='1223951' dateline='1457798934']

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[quote] In the 8th century, Christian scholar Bede claimed in his book, De temporum ratione, (The Reckoning of Time) that Easter derived from the Saxon Eostre (a.k.a. Eastre). The ancient Saxons in Northern Europe worshiped the Goddess Oestre at the time of the Spring Equinox. The Goddess Easter represents the sunrise, spring-time and fertility, the renewal of life. [/quote]

Bedar Venerabilis is remarkable also in a secular manner. His book was the first written attempt at universalising the measuring of time. In a religious sense, he was the one establishing the date of Easter. To historians he's of particular interest in dating events and documents, since he was also the one to introduce AD and BC.

And it's not really surprising that the Jesus story is based on a death and rebirth theme. The festival of Eostre or Ostara, how she's called in our lands celebrated the rebirth of nature, after it lay seemingly dead in the grasps of winter.

[Minimalist]

[Kitan Etos]

BUMP

Since it is drawing nearer.

[Cecelia]

I still celebrate Easter. Not as a religious holiday, but a secularized version. kind of like a Spring-time Christmas. The Easter Bunny brings little gift baskets. And I wear bunny ears. It's a lot more fun than going to church. Plus Spring break always comes afterward for me. That's a cause for celebration.

[Minimalist]

Fuck easter.

[abaris]

Fuck easter.

Fuck Ostara, rather. She's supposed to be a very appealing goddess.

[Kitan Etos]

Three more days...

[brewer]

What was it south of the equator?

[NaughtyButNice]

A sacrilicious treat for Easter!