The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-04-10
EASTER.
Some Faets Worth Knowing about
this Most Ancient of Feasts.

Some Pacts Worth Knowing about
this Most Ancient of Feasts.
Easter falls on April 5th this year, which
is earlier than usual It comes oftenest
about the middle of April, but rotates be-
tween the last of March and the last OF
April It is regulated by the condition Of
the moon, being always the first Sunday
after the fun moon which happens upon
ornext after the twenty-first day of March,
and if the full moon happens upon a
Sunday. Easter day is the Sunday after.
There has been continual controversy in
regard to the proper time for the celebra-
ton of Easter. and as it is the most an
cient OF the movable feasts of the Chris
tian Church, it is also the most important,
as it determines all the rest. The dispute
arose between the eastern and western
churches, the former contending Easter to
be equivalent to the Jewish Passover, and
that therefore it should be celebrated on
the fourteenth day Of the first Jewish
month OF moon. The western churches
celebrated it on the Sunday after the four
teenth day, holding that it was the com
memoration of the resurrection of Jesus.
The Council of Nice determined in favor
of the western usage (s25 A. d.; the de
I
principal object being now to prevent
! Easter from falling on the same day as
the Jewish Passover. They did, however,
occur together in 1905 and in 1925, and will
| do so again in the years 1903, 1928, 1927,
! and 1881. This year, Easter. though
/ happening early, will seem consistently
/ late, as the season is uncOmmonly prcco-
! cious, and the Sunday that introduces
/ the inheritance of joy to the Christian, the
! occasion of feasting to he faster, tn
/ signal of spring to the invalid. the oppor-
1 tunity of gain-to the school-boy, the c1e of
! change to dame Fashion, the hope of sun
shine to Nature herself, promises to be a
! faithful harbinger of all that is expected
of it The worship of the Goddess Ostard
/ or Easter personifying the morning
J east and also the opening year or spring,
seems to have been strictly observed in
northern Germany whence it was brought
into England by the Saxons. The Anglo
Saxon name of April was EStermoDath,
and 1t is still known in Germany as OsJer-
monath. So it appears that many of the
] popular observances connected with
Easter are Of Pagan origin /; they only
grew into religious rites through the pol
I Icy of the Church, and it was found a sim
4 pie matter to give n Christian stRn1h-
canoe to Joy at the rising Of the natural
sun and ut the awakening of nature from
1 the death Of winter, since these sentiments
! became synonymous with JOY at the rising
/ of the Sun Of Righteousness, at the re-
/ surrectiOn Of Christ from the grave. The
/ kindling of bonfires at Easter is an old
\ German custom but the one most chaTac-.
! teristic and widely known is the use Of the
Easter eggs used in many ways. They
/ are eaten, games are played with them,
/ presents OF them are exchanged they are
i made the foundation for Bsthetic skill
/ from being colored with various dyes and
( herbs to being painted in artistic designs
! and ornamented with silken cords and
( tassels, ribbons, and even mounted into
( Jewel receptaclcs, cabinet ornaments,
4 and boxes. OF course when utilized in
| this way the meat OF the egg is removed
| While 1t is hardly necessary to state,
I these latter devices are OF modern origin
| also the imitation Of eggs ia of late date,
| and hardly carries out the Christian idea,
| as from their point OF view the feast of
| eggs" was considered embIematic of the
resurrection and OF n future life. In Scot
land years ago Easter morning, early, was
I the hour of frolic for the young people.
1 They would start nj dawn of day in search
asof wild fowls eggs for breakfast. and the
number found was their evidence of luck
! for that year at least. In Ireland they say
the sun dances on Easter morning, If you
| only arise early enough 10 see it; but il
4 any one ever has, the fact has not yet been
{ recorded. n the Tyrol Easter is remem-
! bered with every ceremony Bands of
! musicians traverse the mountains, sing
! ing the Easter hymns to the accom-
! natives wear Spanish hats, orna-
! uentented with garlands and
1 bouqets of flowers Crowds Of happy
] children are amidst this motley gathering,
I and when the darkness of evening en-
yelops then = oee little ones carry lighted
/ torches OF pine,,v and baskets OF colOred
4 eggs. Imagine how picturesque must be
4 the scene,E9Ulss mountains, quaint COS
4 tunes weird music and shGdOwv lights.
I The merrinent generally finishes with a
repast of eggs and wine given {, the
I singers by the higher class OF farmCrs in
u payment for the joyous carols. In Ches-
4 ter England. also. the Easter festivities
D.. are of no small importance The town it
4 self is so old and withal so thriving q
piece of antiquity that most of the ancient
customs and games are kept up. Such
curious pranks ss they sometimes resorted
to seem to the prosaic people of these times
. almost improbable. For instance, the Gus
tom of Z" lifting, one, too, really in memory
of the Resurrection A party of young
galants would carry q satin-Hned chair
through the streets, into which when tho
opportunity. occurred they seated fair
damsel. lifted her as high in the air as the
ability of the young men would allow, nor
was their precious burden released until
she donated kiss to each of her tormen-
tors and paid fee besides. No rank could
save the individual from tho chance of
lifting" nor was the privilege confined
to the male sex, for IL is said that King
Edward was lifted" by certain ladies,
and that he paid 9400 for the honor. This
is only one of the many singular customs
4 in vogue At Easter in Chester.
Eggs were used for all sorts OF
games even the clergy could
not forego the inspiration OF the occasion,
and played bail with the eggs during
church service, dancing the while. There
were professions with music all day long,
and the streets were continuation OF
banners, emblems, and crowds of noisy
b worshi ppers. Within late years fancy Eas-
ter cards have been almost rs numerous and
varied as valentines on the 14th of Feb
ruary, and some OF them are extremely
beautiful; many are paitned in water
colors, others are from the firms Of PranR
Marcus Ward, DE La Rue, etc, and are
gotten up in unique designs. One
especially appropriate was in the shape OF
a large egg about ton inches in length
colored. finely decorated, and containing
six leaves tied with delicate shades oi
satin ribbon. Eachsleaf displayed a verse
/, of poetry under six different headings
, Faith, !" - Hope" " Charity, - g Repent
| ance,n q Forgiveness . and Peace. ?
Another was card simply but so ex
quisitely tinted as to be almost an object
of art. The subject was n group OF ruddy
faced cherubs supporting huge egg tht
whole bein9drawn by aribbOn -reined lamt
Others there are Of dainty flowers nesteC
! eggs, emblematic devices, all suggesting
some suitable sentiment in well selected
verse. Others are merely egg
shaped boxes. covered with satin or siIl
delicately painted; some also of soliC
candy, wood or paste; but the greatel
number of them are made to open and dis
play either pleasing picture or a feast O
sweets.