The Nevada County picayune., 1907-03-29

March. The Western churches thought that it should be identified with Sun day, and observed it on the Sunday following the 14th day of Nissan. At the beginning of the fourth century the Emperor Constantine succeeded in having a canon passed by the ecumen. ical council of Nice, fixing and mak. ing uniform the date of it's observance though as the rules laid down by this council for the date of it's observance made 1t necessary to reconcile three periods, with no common measure, namely, the week, the lunar month and the solar year, the determination of Easter was for a long time a mat ter requiring great nicety of calcula- tion. and so, as the Egyptians were skilled in astronomical matters, this was left Tor lopg time to the Alex. andrian see to decide.
 The rules decreed that the Fist of March should be regarded as the yer nal equinox
 The full moon happening upon or next after the Fist of March should be regarded as the full moon of the month of Nisan
 The first Lords day after that full moon should be observed as Easter day.
 If the full moon chanced to fall on Sunday. the next Sunday should ba Easter day
 As all the movable feasts and lasts depend on Easter. uniformity of time in it's observance was an important matter. The rules adopted by the Nicene council mikes it possible for it to fall upon any Sunday of five weeks, commencing with March 22 and ending with April 9.
 The name East.r is derived from the name of the Saxon goddess ol spring. Eostre, Eastre, or Ostera, and may be traced back to the Phoenician moon goddess. Astartc, so often asso- ciated with the hare in Eastern myths Hence, perhaps. the use of the har, in connection with the E--.er eggf, which it is said to lay.
 Some think the name comes fro n the word oster, which meals rising. and to Christians it, of oourse, is commemorative of the rising of Chr st from the dead.
 The month dedicated to the spring goddess of the saXons was the fourth month. which answers to cur Arril and her festival was held in honor et the opening of the natural year. to commemorate the setting free of the natural forces of germination and growth which the winter had chilled and crucifeI
 Each nation has had it's own Easter customs, but many of them can be traced back to the ancient spring fes. tivals welcoming the return of the sun. In the church it is one of the three great Christian feasts. and has been known as the Queen of Festivals and the Lord of Days. It is ushered in by vigil and fasting, but is itself a time of rejoicing. In the olden days relic of the fire worshiping time could be found in the kindling of new and pure fires. after the old ones had been extinguis ned. from the Pas. chal candle. the great and sacred can. de which often weighed hundreds of pounds. The washing of the feet of others by high dignitaries of church and state was, of course. done in memory of Christ's washing the fee of the apostles
 Music, candles, bonfires. flowers miracle plays, the pealing of bells the exchange of gifts, the liberation of prisoners the setting free of slaves. the giving of aims or maunds the playing of games, some of them rude and rcu9e enough indeed. during East. CT week-these set apart the season from others.
 Certain articles of food. such as tan. sy cake, typifying the bitter herbs ," and hot cross buns and custards were eaten in England. In Ireland the peasants rose early to see the sun dance, which we may do by looking in stream of water, as they did.
 Most of the ruder sports have died out. but the note of gladness ip its ob. servance still dominates, though sounded in gentler fashion
 And the solemn observance of the church, made beautiful by an impres. sive ritual invested with all that light and color and sound can add to a cere Mony. inspire the faithful with the thought that once again light and life have triumpAed over death and oa-f ness.