The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-26

Christ, Easter is
that which cele-
brates bis resurrection and ascension. This
queen of festivals has lessons wrapped up
In It's origin and history almost as inter
esting az those to be found In its customs
and legends.
ORIGIN n HISTORY.
The name Easter Is no doubt derived from
"Fsstre.' the Saxon goddess. whose festival
of spring was celebrated ages ago. but
whether it Is from that or from "ostcr,"a
rising-emblematico of the resurrection--the
festival itself comes direct from the Jewish
passover and Il clearly a survival OF the
"Paschal feast" 1t is, however, different
from the passover and il not, Ike Christ
mas, q fixed day Of tho month. but Is one
OF the movable festivals, regulated by the
full moon ard the vernal equinox, though
lying always between March, GO and April25.
From the earliest days Of the Christian
era this festival has been celebrated with
the deepest solemnity. To the early Chris
tians it meant more than any other OF the
church's feasts. Occurring at the time OF
the Jewish passover and for centuries
mixed with IL In date, 1t was yet 80 dis
tinct and so different that in many countries
a necessary part Of the celebration was the
eating of bacon, the special adherence OF
the fsraelites. TO ire Christian il was
In no degree connected in meaning with the
passover. It's meaning was to him the be-
ginning of Il new life, n new world. 1t was
the constant reminder TO him OF his Saw
tours victory over death and the grave.
For hundreds Of years the salutation on
Easter morning Of "Surrexitm Ole is risen)
and the solemn response, We're surrexit,'
(He is risen indeed, cemented and bound
closer together for another revolution OF the
sun the hearts of true believers. For hun
dreds of years the ceremonies have been
kept up. They have passed from one coun-
try to another; they have gone from one
people to n different one. With each success
sive step changes have come, with each adj
vance into new territory notifications have
arisen. National and even local character
istics have stamped themselves upon tho
ceremonies, causing many changes, and in
some instances new features have been
added. But in all places and at all times it
has been the Sunday of Joy" the bright
day." the queen of festivals.
CUSTOMS AND LEGENDS.
The fact that the Joys end delights OF
Easter follow Immediately after the peni.
tential season of Lent Is responsible for
many of the customs that have accom-
panied and the modes of celebration that
have characterized the day. When the
penitents in southern Italy, during the last
days of Lent, in solemn procession marched
barefoot over rough roads, and covered with
sackcloth dropped blood from brows which
were encircled and pierced with a crown OF
thorns, it is scarcely to be wondered at that
their depressed spirits, when released,
bounded from tears to dancing and disor-
derly gatherings, even inside the churches,
and reached such extremes in the 10th CEN
tury that such gatherings, religious though
they were. had to be suppressed.
In Rome the celebrations were sufficiently
decorous. The decorations and ornamentar
tons were most extensive. The pageantry
of armed bodies of men and in later years
salutes of c%annons, the carrying Of the pope
himself to st. Peters under a gilded can
opy to ofiicIate at mass with imposing ac-
cessories, all tented to make the celebra
tion a grand and impressive one.
centuries ago the custom Of lifting" on
Faster morning was universal. Men would
go through the streets in pairs, carrying be-
tween them a gayly decorated chair, into
which they would seat every woman ELI
countered and lift her rs high as they could
above their heads. This custom originated
In the ascension or lifting up of the Saviour,
and in later years degenerated into the
'iifting,n which caused every man to give
up Easter Monday To the sport. Dispensing
with chairs, they would enter houses with
out ceremony. Women would r~etaliate
next day in the most boisterous manner,
all Of which finally eliminated In such
scenes as the one in which the ladies and
maids of honor Of the court entered the
bedroom of King Edward /, and lifting
him from his bed carried him around the
room.
With the progress OF civilization came
improved ideas on these and kindred sub
iects and the disappearance Of musty ira
ditions and hazy legends. The pious no
longer keep watch all night for the monks
10 hold up to them each Easter morn the
image of Christ risen once more. The Lords
second coming is no longer assured for
Easter eve. The rising son on Easter morn
still typifes the Son of Righteousness. and
the close of Lent or the death OK winter
still typifes the defeat Of the grave, yet
even the children Of today no longer rise at
daylight ito see the sun dance''-a belief
which writers of less than a century ago
soberly argued was without foundatiVp-
and the great bonhres which for so many
years represented the ancient paschal Ia
pers have been quenched by the waves OF
modern thought.
THE AsTER EGG.
Almost the only thing left Ms n the
pasohal egg-the emblem Of the resurrec-
ton, the symbol of renewed Dfe-which
has come down through the ages TO us.
The old German custom Of three eggs (pos-
sibly representing the Trinity, and the Aus
TRAN egg Of gold or silver filled with costly
knickknacks, and the dyed egg Of the poor
err classes, all look back other predecessor,
the paschal egg, that was handed down
from the Egyptians, and ages before the
same emblem OF renewed existence was
given as an Offering among the Paress and
on the banks Of the sacred rivers Of India.
Borrowed by the early Christians and
made use Of to typify the renewe spiritual
life, 1t has come down to US today-almost
In the Goth century-with most OF Its leg
ends scientifically explained and most Of
its old customs forgotten. The chief rem
nant Of the old legends and customs In thu
country IL the Easter egg, which children
find In the early morning and bslisve "a