The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-03-30

tnOugh sometimes 8ynChronOuS with
March The Western churches thought
that II should be identified with Sun.
day, and observed II on the Sunday
following the 14th day Of Nisan. 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 max
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 IL necessary to reconcile three
periods, with no common measure.
and the solar year, the determination
Of Easter was for long time a mat.
ter requiring great nicely of calcula
tion. and so, az the Egyptians were
skilled in astronomical matters, this
was left for long time to the Alex
andrian zee to decide.
The rules decreed that the 21st of
March should be regarded as the YER
nal equinox.
The full moon happening upon or
next after the 21st OF March should
be regarded as the full moon OF the
month of Nissan.
The first Lords day after that full
moon should be observed as Easter
day.
II the full moon chanced to fall on
Sunday. the next Sunday should be
Easter day.
AS all the movable feasts and fasts
depend on Easter, uniformity of time
in its observance was an important
matter. The rules adopted by the
Nicene council makes II possible for
it to fall upon any Sunday of five
weeks, commencing with March % and
ending with April 25.
The name Easter is derived from
the name of the Saxon goddess Of
spring, Eostre, Eastre, or Ostcra. and
may be traced back to the Phoenician
moon goddess, Astarte, so often asso-
ciated with the hare in Eastern myths.
Hence. perhaps. the use of the hare
In connection with the Easter eggs,
which It In said to lay.
Some think the name comes from
the word oster, which means rising,
and to Christians II, OF course. is
commemorative of the rising of Christ
from the dead.
The month dedicated to the spring
goddess of the SaXons was the fourth
month, which answers to our April,
and her festival was held In honor of
the opening OF the natural year, to
commemorate the setting free of the
,, natural forces of germination and
growth which the winter rad chilled
and cruciheS.
Each nation has had its own Easter
customs, but many Of them can he
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. II Is ushercd
In by vigil and fasting, but is, itself,
time of rejoicing. In the oldon days
a relic of the fire worshiping time
could be found in the kindling of
new and pure fires, after the old ones
had been extinguished, from the Pas.
chal candle, the great and sacred can.
die 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 Cbrist's washing the feet
of the apostles.
Music, candles. bonflres, 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 rough enough indeed, during East.
er week--these set apart the season
from others.
Certain articles of food. such as tan.
sy cake, typlfying the bitter herbs. "
and hot cross buns and custards were
eaten in England. In Ireland the
peasants Iose early to see the sun
dance, which we may do by looking
in stYeam of water, as they did.
Most }of the ruder sports have died
out, BUT the note OF gladness In it's oh.
servande. still dominates. though
sounddi In gentler fashion.
And the solemn observance OF the
church made beautiful by an impres.
sive ritual invested with all that light
and cdlor and sound can add to a cere.
monyJ inspire the faithful with tina
thought that once again light and life
havI triumphed over death and dark
nasS