A Short History of Easter Symbols

Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, is Christianity’s most important holiday. It is called a moveable feast because it doesn’t fall on a set date every year as most holidays do. Instead, Christian churches in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. Therefore, Easter is observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year

The exact origin of the word Easter is unknown. The English historian known as the Venerable Bede (673-735) wrote that the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of Spring and fertility. Through a translation error, the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually became Easter in English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. Jesus’ crucifixion and…