Origins of Easter and Christmas

Origins of Easter

Easter is the triumphal anniversary festival over darkness for the resurrection of Christ. Eaostre was originally a pagan festival, derived from natural Earth motion. The vernal equinox, near to March 21, is the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The end of winter and the beginning of spring began the new year in many ancient cultures. On the equinox, the hours of daylight are equal to the interval from sunset to sunrise, or night. Eastre was the Anglo-Saxon goddess for the spring equinox. The first Council of Nicaea fixed the date of Easter according to the proclamation of "the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox." Following Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity, the Council of Nicaea initiated the important celebration known to all Christians in 325 A.D. Constantine was the main proponent for a Sunday Christian Sabbath.

Several factors influenced Easter dating by early Church fathers. Some wished to observe Easter on the Passover, since the Jewish Calendar was the common way to record the gospel era. At the Last Supper, Christ was partaking of the "Feast of Unleavened Bread," or the Passover (Luke 22:1 - 20). Communion reflects the last supper, which was a passover meal (Matthew 26:2). Through the Holy Communion, representation is practiced by the Christian faith in order to reach the King of the Jews ; Jesus Christ.

Origins of Christmas

The Christmas season honors the Nativity, and the hope of rebirth in eternal life that comes through the birth of Christ. In the fourth quarter of the year, the ancient Egyptians once held a festival called the "Nativity of the Sun's Walking Stick." The failing daylight of the sun suggested the need of a walking stick, or staff, to aid the sun during the last part of transit. As representative of the sun - god, the Pharaoh walked around temple walls using a staff. Significance of the walking staff is visible when the power of the rod of God is displayed before the Egyptian Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10 - 12). Aaron casts the staff given to Moses down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Pharaoh called the magicians of Egypt to cast down their rods. The magicians' rods became serpents, but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. Moses and Aaron used the special staff to initiate other plagues of frogs, lice, and fleas on Egypt. Solar worship and Egyptian symbology behind the staff were uniquely related.

Increasing daylight following the winter solstice around December 22, once marked the Roman celebration of Saturnalia. Saturnalia, during December 17 - 24, was in commemoration of the planetary god Saturn. Religious significance was assigned to mark the end of fall sowing, and shortening daylight. About 273 A.D., the Roman Emperor Auerlian instituted the festival of Dies natalis solis invicti , or "birthday of the unconquered Sun." The seven day week ends with Saturday, reiterating the notion of Saturnalia ending the year. Pagan ceremonies were changed to Christian in 354 A.D., and the birthday of Christ was declared to be December 25.

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