Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-03-29
EASTER.
A History Of the Custom of Using
COlOred Eggs- =

A correspondent ofthe Confectioners'
Journal, writing from Chicago, says:
The. customs of Easter, so popular in
Europe, and so joyous amidst its fes-
iiyities, is but little celebrated in
America, which i attribute 10 the rig
or and asperities thrown upon every
thing churchly of the priesthood, Or
had any connection with the holidays
Of the church as practiced in the Ro
man States by Inc Pilgrim Fathers,
who cut loose from everything in the
sem biance of ritualistic or other cOlti-
nental or holiday customs.
Thus, it is only of late years that the
beautiful custom uf the Christmas tree
has become more and more popular, As
its beauty is appreciated by all who
taste OF its sweets, and make the anni-
versary the most joyous OF our hoii-
days.
The customs of Easter ssme ascribe
as an institution of the Apostles, but
the most general opinion is that it was
first observed by their immediate sue
cessors, about A. ID. 68. The Council
of Aries, in 304, and the Council of
Nicea, in 325, decreed that the day for
keeping this festival should be the l4th
day of March, noon. By the altera-
ton Uf the calendar by Gregory XIII,
in 1882, the first Sunday after the full
moon Immediately following the 21st
OF March was fixed rs the day of OBJ
serving this festival. 1t is a movable
feast, curing at any day between
it all other ecclesiastical movable
b.,
year. In the Church of England its
celebration is confined to Easter Eve;
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday In Eas-
ter week. In the Roman Church it is
a time of enjoyment; because of the re-
strictiOns of Lent being removed, the
populsce give themselves up to their
tastes and liberties. In Scotland they
used to go out in the fields and by
ways, and the finder OF an sgg or nest OF
eggs was considered lucky and highly
favored by Providence. The practice is
not confined alone to the Christians
The Jews used eggs In the feast of the
Passover, and We are told that the
Pers ans, when they kept the festival
of the solar new year Tin March), mu.
tually presented each other with col
ored eggs.
l am sometimes asked, "What does
this giving of the Easter egg mean,
and why give eggs on that day, and al
so how did the custom become inStitu-
ted on that day?" | would say, "rhe
feast of eggs is emblematic OF the res
direction and of future life, it Is
tribute by man to give one day to the
egg, to which we are in;iebted so much
for the good things of this life, and Was
no doubt originally orname nted in
simple ways and colored in lovely col
ors Un Easter, as it was the end of
Lent, and meats being banished during
Lental fasting, the sole stay and meat
of life being the egg that had carried
them them through the weeks of fast
ing was gloritied and made festive"
As the custom took root in the val
leys and hills of country life before
con nerce flourished, and had not the
masses been unable 10 procure fish in
the interior, also fish not being such
food, no doubt the fish wO'd
have been given a share Of the glory of
Easter. In connection We see the Eas-
ter egg associated exclusively with the
White Rabbit the patron saint
of the Easter egg. This comes from |
the German legend told to all the chill |
dren in Germany that these lovely |
eggs are laid by the beautiful rabbits
for them; In the same sense we usr
Santa Claus or KrisskriDgle for the
Christmas tree. Hence the eggs and
rabbits are'part OF one another and as
in the various .desi- ns. An
other beautiful custom We can adopt
rom the German and much practiced
with them; on Easter eve, the children
having all gone TO bed, is to make a
lest in pretty basket or otherwise
II the house, in some corner in the
)arlor, or other room or closet, and
,lsce The eggs in them, and on Easter
morning it is the duty and pleasure OF
III to hunt for The Easter nests to SEE
What the Easter rabbit has laid for
hem, he surely having visited the
louse that night, laying them some
)vely Easter presents for all good lit
le children.