Easter, also called Pascha ([[Davies2014-ei]]) or Resurrection Sunday ([[Boda2006-qb]]), is a significant Christian festival and cultural holiday that honors the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified at Calvary by the Romans around 30 AD, and He rose from the dead on the third day after His burial. Easter marks the conclusion of the Passion of Jesus Christ ([[Wikipedia_contributors2023-xr]], [[Hillerbrand2023-ng]]). > [!FAQ] What Does The Word "Easter" Come From? > The holiday was originally known in Greek as **Πάσχα** (*Páscha*) and in Latin as Pascha. The name Pascha is derived from the Aramaic word **פסחא** (*Pasḥa*), meaning "Passover" ([[Melito_of_Sardis1978-bw]]). The French word for Easter, "*Pâques*," comes from the Greek and Latin word for "Passover." > >The origin of the English word Easter, similar to the German version Ostern, is unclear. > >One theory proposed by the Venerable Bede in the 8th century suggested that it came from *Eostre* or *Eostrae*, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility and spring ([[Stenton1971-su]], [[Cusack2007-qp]]). This theory implies that Christians adopted pagan holidays and names for their festivals, similar to the suggestion that Christmas on December 25 may have originated from winter solstice celebrations (see [[Christmas Is Not Pagan]]). However, given the Christian opposition to paganism, this seems unlikely. > >Most scholars now believe that the word Easter comes from the Christian reference to Easter week as "*in albis*," a Latin phrase interpreted as the plural of "*alba*" (meaning "dawn") and evolved into "*eostarum*" in Old High German, which is the predecessor of the modern German and English terms > >> [!NOTE]- **Expand the table for the different words for Easter in other languages** >> >> | Language | Easter | Origin | | ---------- | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | English | Easter | Old English "ēastre" | | Spanish | Pascua | Latin "Pascha" | | French | Pâques | Latin "Pascha" | | Italian | Pasqua | Latin "Pascha" | | Portuguese | Páscoa | Hebrew "Pesach" | | German | Ostern | Old High German "Ostarun," possibly from Proto-Germanic "*austro" meaning "east" | | Dutch | Pasen | Latin "Pascha" | | Swedish | Påsk | Old Norse "paska," possibly from Hebrew "Pesach" | | Danish | Påske | Old Norse "paska," possibly from Hebrew "Pesach" | | Norwegian | Påske | Old Norse "paska," possibly from Hebrew "Pesach" | | Finnish | Pääsiäinen | From Finnish "päästää" meaning "to escape" or "to pass" | | Estonian | Lihavõtted | Literally means "meat taking" | | Hungarian | Húsvét | From Old Church Slavonic "xvęt" meaning "flowers" | | Polish | Wielkanoc | From Old Church Slavonic "velika noć" meaning "great night" | | Czech | Velikonoce | From Old Church Slavonic "velika noć" meaning "great night" | | Slovak | Veľká noc | From Old Church Slavonic "velika noć" meaning "great night" | | Slovenian | Velika noč | From Old Church Slavonic "velika noć" meaning "great night" | | Latvian | Lieldienas | From Proto-Baltic "liel-" meaning "great" and "diena" meaning "day" | | Lithuanian | Velykos | From Proto-Balto-Slavic "*wa?k-os" meaning "bright, clear" | | Russian | Пасха (Paskha) | Greek "Πάσχα" | | Ukrainian | Великдень (Velykden') | Greek "Πάσχα" | | Belarusian | Вялікдзень (Vyalikdzen') | Greek "Πάσχα" | | Bulgarian | Великден (Velikden) | Greek "Πάσχα" | | Serbian | Васкрс (Vaskrs) | Greek "Πάσχα" | | Croatian | Uskrs | Greek "Πάσχα" | | Macedonian | Велигден (Veligden) | Greek "Πάσχα" | # Holiday Traditions > [!Failure]- Easter Does Not Share Origins with Pagan Holiday ![[Easter Is Not From Ishtar!]] ## Easter Bunny and Eggs Some Christians think that the Easter bunny is from Pagan influence. This belief can be traced back to [[Grimm1878-wq|Deutsche Mythologie by Jacob Grimm]] in 1835. Grimm suggests that the Christian holiday of Easter may have been influenced by these Pagan festivals, particularly regarding the use of eggs as a symbol of fertility and new life. Eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries, dating back to 1230 AD, due to their symbolization of new life and seasonal abundance. They were preserved or hardboiled as Easter food and decorated using various techniques such as dyeing and waxing. Different regions had their own Easter egg traditions such as the pace-egging game in northern England and egg-rolling down hillsides. The Easter Bunny tradition is a recent practice likely due to American influence. One of the earliest references to the Easter bunny comes from Francis X. Weiser in his work "[[Weiser1950-cl|The Easter Book]]". The animal was originally known as the **Easter Hare**, since Americans tend to lump hares and rabbits together. Americans soon converted the German **Easter Hare** into the Easter Rabbit and then to the **Easter Bunny** ([[Gulevich2002-lf]]). German settlers in America kept the tradition alive and popularized it. Easter cakes in the shape of a hare were also made, with the joke being that the hare is shown 'laying' its egg-shaped chocolate droppings ([[Simpson2000-hn]]). There is no evidence that the bunny or the eggs began from Pagan worship or celebration. Eggs and bunnies have been associated with fertility and new life in both Easter and Pagan traditions, but these symbols did not originate from the holidays themselves. This can be seen in the same way gift-giving is a sign of goodwill often used in both Pagan and Christian holidays, but gift-giving did not derive from these particular holidays. Easter is a Christian holiday that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ according to the New Testament. The holiday is also known as Pascha, which is derived from the Aramaic word for "Passover." The name Easter comes from the Christian reference to Easter week as "*in albis*," a Latin phrase that evolved into "*eostarum*" in Old High German and is the predecessor of the modern German and English terms. The origin of the English word Easter is unclear, but it is unlikely that it was adopted from the Pagan goddess Eostre. Easter and it's traditions have always been Christian in nature and history.