The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1893-04-01
Easter and its Observance.

Easter and its Observance.
Easter is one of the three grea
festivals of the Christian church, ant
typifes the resurrection of Christ. Oh
the other two festivals, Christmas anC
Whitsuntide, the former is the only
one which exceeds Easter in signifi
canoe and in its widespread observ.
ance. The word Easter has ascribed
to it several different origins, but the
most favored supposition is that il
comes from the old Saxon word Eostre
or Ostara, from a deity whose feas,
was celebrated in the spring at about
the same time as the Christian festi.
val and whose name was retained fol
the latter. Another. claim is that il
is derived from Oster, meaning rising,
and this is truly significant. In the
east the common name of the feast is
the Paschal Feast, because it is kept
ct the same time as the Passover
rfascsu1 Tnasaah-.~-<ssAa..
opinion, however, in assigning to this
feast its true significance, that of the
resurrection of the dead as exempli-
fed in the rising of Christ from the
grave. The exact time for the OBJ
servance of Easter has occasioned
great religious controversies, the more
important of which rose between the
Eastern and Western churches, in
the Second Century. The Eastern
Christians celebrated Easter on the
14th day of the first Jewish month, or
moon, considering it to be equivalent
to the Jewish Passover. The West
ern churches set aside the Sunday
after the 14th day, kidding that it
was in commemoration of the resur-
rection of Jesus. The question was
decided in 325 A. d., by the Council
of Nice, in favor of the Eastern
usage, that is. settling merely the
point that Easter was to he held on q
Sunday, but not deciding upon q GER
tain day of the month. Later there
were most important calculations of
the calendar, and all sorts of contro-
versies concerning this point, which
have resulted in the present rule that
Easter Sunday shall be the first Sun
day after the full moon which hap
pens on or next after March 21st, and
if the full moon happens upon a Sum
day, Easter day is the Sunday after.
There are many quaint and cur
ious customs recorded which have
been, and some of which still are, OBJ
served in commemoration of Easter,
all of them, however. bearing more
or less close connection with the fun
demental principle that Eastar is typ
ical of resurrection from the dead or
the quickening of life in the spring
time. The old salutation in the
Greek church, still adhered to, Of
Christ is risen" receiving in reply
"Christ is risen, indeed" may. be-.
traced through various modiIfcations,
down through the usages of th1C Chris
tian church, to the ecclesiastical cele-
bration of to-day. Easter has always
held an important place as a church
festival for observation. In the
ancient church its celebration lasted
eight days, shortened in the Eleventh
Century to three, latterly to two. It
was formerly the favorita time for
performing the rite of baptism, the
courts Of justice were closed, and aims
were dispensed to the poor and needy,
who were even feasted in the churches
this latter custom often leading to
much disorder. Slaves also received
their freedom at that season, and as
the austerities and deprivation of
Lent were now over, the people now
gave themselves up to enjoyment,
whence comes the appellation of the |
day Dominica gaudii" the Sunday |
Of joy. Easter was the opportunity |
FOR indulgence in sports and dances, |
10 which were added farcial exhibi-
lions, in which even the clergy Joined,
in some places, and recited from the
pulpits stories and legends with q
view to melting their hearers to
laughter. Many Of the popular OBJ
,ervances connected with Easter are
clearly of Pagan origin, those in
northen Germany and in England.
which are still carried out, show in |
heir prime features this derivation.
But these Pagan derived feasts and
ceremonies have been made, through
he policy Of the Christian church, to
axe on : religious Significance more (
II les in accord With it. principles |
Ind practices Thnk joy at the rs !