Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Little Sister · 04-08-2007, 12:13 PM

I'm trying to find out the history of this legend about why people color eggs for Easter.

I remember my father telling me this when I was a kid asking what the eggs had to do with jebus. The point of this thread isn't to find out the origin of Easter customs or to talk about the Pagan celebration of the Saxon Goddess of Spring- Ostara or Eostre, or anything like that.

The point is to find out if anybody knows where this idea came from:

(From the link)

Quote:

...An old tradition gives this explanation: Simon was a farmer. He had come into Jerusalem that day to sell his produce to city folk who were preparing the Passover feast to be eaten that evening. Simon had eggs to sell, something that everyone would need for the Seder table. When the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus, Simon had no choice but to leave his basket of eggs behind. Remarkably, when he returned for his basket later in the day, it was still there, and not an egg was missing. But, even more remarkably, the eggs were no longer white, but were brightly colored. Christians continue to color eggs in memory of the first man to take up the cross of Jesus

.

Toto · 04-08-2007, 02:03 PM

From that web page:

Quote:

These explanations are rarely found in Scripture. More often than not, they are glosses on Scripture. They are almost always rich and reverent extensions of canonical accounts, adding a layer of personal detail so that the symbolism of the egg not only has theological content, but has the effect of putting the recipient of an egg into the middle of the sacred story.

The story is also in Miss Jackies Treasure of Truth for Children. (warning: bad web page design.)

and here in this form:

Quote:

legend has it that Simon of Cyrene, who helped carry Christ's cross to Calvary, was by trade an egg merchant. (Upon returning from the crucifixion to his farm, he found that all his hens' eggs had miraculously turned a rainbow of colors; (however, evidence for this legend is weak.)

and here with an attribution:

Quote:

The tradition of painting the Easter egg in bright colours may have its origin in a legend that tells that Simon of Cyrene, who carried Christ's cross, was an egg merchant. When he returned from Calvary to his basket of produce, which he had left by the roadside, he found that all the eggs miraculously colored and adorned." From "How Did It Begin? (or via: amazon.co.uk)" by R. Brasch (Pocket Books, New York, 1969).

My guess is it came from someone's fertile imagination.

Clivedurdle · 04-08-2007, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Eggs and Rabbits

The Easter Bunny is German in origin. He first appears in literature in 16th century as a deliverer of eggs. All rabbits and hares were thought to lay eggs on Easter Day, but the Easter Bunny specifically sought out and rewarded well-behaved children with coloured eggs in a manner reminiscent of Yule customs. The movements of the hare, leaping and zig-zagging across the fields, were thought to hold clues to the coming year.

Eggs themselves are obvious symbols of resurrection and continuing life, as well as fertility. Early humans thought the return of the sun from winter darkness was an annual miracle, and saw the egg as a natural wonder and proof of the renewal of life. As Christianity spread the egg was adopted as a symbol of Jesus's alleged resurrection from the tomb. According to Young, the Easter Bunny is:

a continuation of the reverence shown during the spring rites to the rabbit as a symbol of abundance. The honouring of such emblems of fertility extended to eggs. The egg serves as a representation of new life. It stands for the renewing power of nature and, by extension, agriculture. The egg can also symbolize regeneration in a spiritual or psychological sense. The ritual of colouring Easter eggs stems from the tradition of painting eggs in bright colours to represent the sunlight of spring.

The Inner Bunny

Young goes on to suggest that:

This might also be a good time to find the inner Easter Bunny.

Whether you feel up to the challenge or not, the Spring Equinox is an ominous reminder of the ways in which Christianity has subverted and perverted the old traditions of Europe - a process that many are seeking to reverse and at what better time than now.
Brief Bibliography

* Bede, De Temp. Rat. c. xv.
* St Chrysostom, Commentary on I Cor. V. 7.
* Einhard, Life of Charlemagne, trans Samuel Epes Turner. Harper and Brothers, 1880.
* Encyclopedia Britannica, 1911.
* Goddess.com.au, accessed 9th February, 2006.
* Grimm, Jakob, Deutsche Mythologie. 1835.
* Nichols, Mike, 'Lady Day: The Vernal Equinox', 1999.
* Socrates, Hist. Eccl. V. 22.
* Young, Jonathan, 'Symbolism of Spring', Vision Magazine, April 2003.

http://www.witchology.com/contents/march/ostara.php

Cege · 04-08-2007, 02:48 PM

Quote:

I'm trying to find out the history of this legend about why people color eggs for Easter.

I couldn't find anything more specific than that the legend comes from Czechoslovakia and/or Poland.

I saw that there are other legends about colored eggs, though, that revolve around Mary. One that she brought a basket of eggs to the crucifixtion and blood splatters colored the eggs. Another that a basket of eggs carried to the tomb were splattered by her tears, and the tears colored the eggs.

Coloring eggs seems to have pre-dated the Christian era. Perhaps the church needed legends to justify carrying on pagan traditions.

Clivedurdle · 04-08-2007, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cege

I couldn't find anything more specific than that the legend comes from Czechoslovakia and/or Poland.

I saw that there are other legends about colored eggs, though, that revolve around Mary. One that she brought a basket of eggs to the crucifixtion and blood splatters colored the eggs. Another that a basket of eggs carried to the tomb were splattered by her tears, and the tears colored the eggs.

Coloring eggs seems to have pre-dated the Christian era. Perhaps the church needed legends to justify carrying on pagan traditions.

Quote:

The Megalithic Passage Tomb at Newgrange was built about 3200 BC. The kidney shaped mound covers an area of over one acre and is surrounded by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. The 19 metre long inner passage leads to a cruciform chamber with a corbelled roof. It is estimated that the construction of the Passage Tomb at Newgrange would have taken a work force of 300 at least 20 years.

New Grange illuminated by the Winter Solstice sun. The passage and chamber of Newgrange are illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise. A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19th to the 23rd of December.

http://www.knowth.com/newgrange.htm

We have connected bright colours, the sun, eggs and spring for a very long time!

Cege · 04-08-2007, 03:02 PM

Quote:

We have connected bright colours, the sun, eggs and spring for a very long time!

Yes, it's been a long time, Clivedurdle.

I think that Little Sister is looking specifically for the origin of the legend regarding Simon of Cyrene and his colored basket of eggs, but maybe I misunderstood.

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