Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-04-11
Easter Sunday.

Last Friday was the anniversary Of the cruci-
ixion of our Savior, which took place at Jeru-
salem, at the third hour past meridian, April 3,
20. 81 A. d. 30, while Tiberius was Emperor
Of Rome aud Pontius PLATE Governor of Judea.
Yesterday was the end of Holy Week, or Pas
sion Week, and the close Of Lent. To-day is
celebrated throughout the Christian world as
Easter Sunday, in commemoration of the re-
surrection of our Savior, and is also the end of
the Jewish Passover. The services in the Ro-
man Church were peculiarly impressive during
the past week Son Thursday" says writer,
Z" the altars were divested of their rich cover
ings and cos ly ornaments the sanctuary with
out carpet the whole church dressed In black,
and the vestments of the officiating clergymen
of mourning hue-everything wearing then an
aspect Of grief and desolation. From this day
the bells are silent until Saturday. The cerc-
mony of washing the feet is also performed in
commemoration of Christ washing the feet of
his disciples, which is observed in Rome with
the greatest solemnity. On this day it is the
custom in some parts Of the continent of Europe,
to visit the sepulchreS, which are beautifully
decorated, and which are intended to represent
ever, which, i II y the ~ seRulchre-a custom, how
IL H.
in the Catholic Church On Cood F~;ds-,
which was also sometimes denominated Long
Friday, from the length of the ceremonies on
this day. The custom of creeping to, or rather
kneeling at, the cross, is still observed. On Sa-
turday, when the resurrection Of Christ from
the grave is celebrated, the altars are again
clothed with their ornaments, and are ilIumi-
mated with what is called new fire. The bells
sound again, and everything presents an ap-
pearance of gladness and rejoicing"
This day being Easter Sunday, many curious
and impressive ceremonies-the majority of
them, singularly enough, were originally Pagan
are observed in the Roman and Anglican
Churches. o late years, the more extravagant
or rude obseryances have gone into dsuse, while
the more harmless are retained. Among the
latter, the custom of boiling eggs and coloring
them, for the purpose Of amusement among
children, is still retained. It is somewhat diff
cult to determine from whence this custom came
or where it originated. 1t Is said to have origi-
mated in the theology of the Egyptians, Per
SLAMS, Greeks, Romans, etc., with whom it was
an emblem Of the universe, the work of the De-
ity. Some arch@ologists attribute this custom
as originating with the Chaldeans. The Zsnd
Avesta treats very largely on the egg as an OBJ
ject which should be regarded as emblematic of
the earth, and should therefore be respected in
religious observances. We presume, therefore,
that it passed into the Egyptian Gel emonies,
and from that ancient empire was transmitted
successively through the Greek to the Roman
Empire, and becoming gradually incorporated
into the religious pastimes of that people, it was
disseminated in the course of time through the
Northern and Western States of Europe Other
historians contend that it originated in the
Western and, through Tyrian merchants, was
introduced to the Eastern World; and that the
cotoring of eggs was a common practice among
the Druids of England, Ireland and Germany;
and to the early recollections of Christian mis-
sionaries in other countries are we indebted for
the coloring of the egg, and the games connect
cd with it, which are still remembered. How
ever, whether Christian or Pagan, we doubt if
the young Of either sex will trouble their heads
much to-day as to the origin of the custom of
cracking or coloring eggs, SO long as they can
obtain enough of them to carry out their sinless
onurarnanfS