Evening star., 1899-04-01
The Anniversary Of Christ's Resur-
rection From the Dead.
ITS RELATION 10 EARLY EVENTS
Known for a Time as the Day of
Jove
SOME OI4D-TIME CUSTOMS

Easter, the anniversary of Christ's resur-
rection, the great festival of the Chris
tian church, which will be celebrated in all
parts of the globe tomorrow has many and
multplex meanings, some of which are not
commonly known. The significance of the
day and its relation to early events in the
Christian world are known to even the
youngest member Of the family in all
Christendom. Something of the derivation
of the word and the ancient customs of the
day will not be inappropriate.
The word Easter is derived from the Ger
man "Ostern'' and from the Greek Pas
cha" (passover). Its Teutonic name prob-
ably comes from the festival of the goddess
Ostara-in Anglo-Saxon "Eastre"-which in
the olden days was celebrated at about the
same time as the Christian Easter. The
season of Easter celebration in the ancient
church was eight days, but after the elev-
enth century the duration dwindled to three
and finally two days. .Easter-tide in the
old days was also the favorite time for
baptisms and the distribution of aims The
courts of justice were closed and slaves
were often given their freedom Lent be-
ing at an end the people gave themselves
up to thorough enjoyment.
An Early Day Designation.
Easter day was known for a time as
"the Sunday of JOY" There were sports
and dances and farcical exhibitions, even
the clergy at times reciting from their pull
pits stories and legends of such nature as
to induce hearty laughter in their hearers.
To such an extent were these celebrations
carried however, one of the earliest and
most successful of the sixteenth century re-
form movements was directed against the
abuses of the day.
One of the orettiest of the old Easter
customs was the giving of the Easter kiss
and mutual greetings, but the chief solemn
ity of the day was then. as 1t is now, the
celebration of the Lords supper. The most
characteristic Easter rite which has not
completely died out at the present day,
although without religious meaning, is the
use of Easter eggs, stained with various
colors. In former days people made pres
ents of these eggs, sometimes eating them,
but generally keeping them as amulets.
From a Christian point of view the eggs
were doubtless considered emblematic of
the resurrection and of a future life.
Easter Dates.
Easter never falls before the 22d of
March nor after the 25th of April. In 1t61
and again in 1918 Easter fell on the former
date, but neither in this nor the next CEN
tury will such be the case again. In 1886
Easter came on the 25th of April, but not
until 1913 will it again fall so late. The
proper date for the celebration of Easter
has occasioned no little controversy. 1t
being the most ancient and important of
all the movable feasts Easter determines
the dates of all the rest. 1t was earnestly
debated at the time of the adoption Of the
Gregorian calendar whether Easter should
continue to be movable feast or whether
a fixed Sunday after the 21st of March
should be adopted. Out of Difference to
ancient custom, however, the old plan was
left unchanged, and Easter is still cele-
brated the Sunday following the first full
moon after the 21stl of March. If the full
moon falls upon a Sunday, however, then
Easter is celebrated upon the Sunday next
following.