Easter in the Homeschool: a Closer Look at Easter History
Christian homeschoolers celebrate Easter every spring as a way to celebrate and remember the death of Christ and his subsequent resurrection from the dead three days later. However, Easter is actually rooted in surprising pagan mythology. Christian homeschoolers should think about this the next time they get upset about someone taking Christian imagery out of an Easter display.
The actual name of the holiday is most likely derived from the Teutonic goddess “Eastre”. This goddess represented spring and fertility. Like Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, and even Christmas, Easter was once used to worship pagan deities. The Easter Rabbit, Easter eggs, and several other holiday imagery also stem from these pagan festivals. Other scholars believe that the holiday stems from Phrygia, where they made music and danced in order to wake up their god who had spent the winter asleep.
The Jewish celebration of Passover happens to occur simultaneously with these Pagan holidays. We can find the origins of Passover in the Book of Exodus. This tradition was celebrated annually until the death of Christ, which nullified the need for a sacrificial lamb for the atonement of sins. From the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ forward, Christians spent this time recognizing the ultimate sacrifice of their savior.
In 325 AD, Constantine I and the Council of Nicaea decided that there should be an official church-approved holiday to replace the Passover. They determined that Easter would henceforth be celebrated (along with Lent, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Good Friday, Palm Sunday, and several lesser holidays) among Christendom to remember the resurrection of Christ.
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