Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-04-08
The Christian
I Festival Of II
Easter Il

M NA w year Christmas and Easter
pa o. M stand more prominently on
EySHSl the page of history than any
others. Throughout all the mutations
and vicissitudes that have entered
into the worlds history during the
past two thousand years the two fes-
rivals that commemorate respectively
the birth and the resurrection of the
Man of Nazareth still shine with a lus-
ter that remains unfaded after the
lapse of two centuries.
The Christian festival of Easter is
not only celebration of great an
tiquity, but many of its popular OBJ
servances are clearly of pagan origin.
In northern Germany the ancient Teu-
tons were accustomed to celebrate the
feast of the Goddess Ostara, who was
the personification of morning, or the
east, and also of the opening year, or
spring. This custom continued to be
observed down to the beginning of the
present century. The pagan rites in
stituted by the Germans were brought
into England by the Saxons, and un-
vinity was honored by the Anglo-Sax,
ons with joy and feasting about the
same season of the year that the
Christian Easter festival arrives.
1t was about the year 68 A. d. that
the formal institution of the celebra-
ton of the day by Christians took
place. To the followers of the Risen
Lord the heather season of rejoicing
at the rising of the natural sun and
the awakening of nature at the death
of winter was easily suggestive Of joy
at the rising of the Son of Righteous
ness-the resurrection of Christ from
the tomb. 1t also followed as a natural
result that the devout adherents of
the Christ in their reverence for the
day upon which was performed the
greatest and most sublime of miracles
should continue to set 1t apart each
the utter exclusion of the Sabbath of
the Decalogue.
The rites and ceremonies that char
Ncterize the celebration of the Easter
festival, although modified somewhat
in this age, still retain many of the
features that marked 1t in earlier
years. In the early church the cere-
monies lasted eight days. Courts of
justice were closed and aims were dis
pensed in the churches to the poor
and needy. Popular sports, farc.cal
exhibitions and dancing were INDUCED
in. These latter frivolities, however
were abolished by the refortners of the
sixteenth century. Our Anglo Saxon
| ancestors held daily services in the
churches from Palm Sunday to the be
ginning of the Easter festival People
| saluted each other with the Easter
kiss and the words Eek Surrexit" (He
has risen), to which greeting the reply
We're Surrexit" (He is risen indeed)
| The chief solemnity of the occasion
was the celebration of the Lords sup
| per.
In Russia Easter Sunday is a hoii
day that exceeds all others. At mid
night of Saturday a metropolitan oil
| priest, preceded by a oss-bearer anC
boy bearing holy water, vessels ant
candles, and followed by solemn pro
cession, issues from the church ant
going round the wall sprinkles it will
holy water. He then pronounces ;
benediction upon thousands of large
round, gilded loaves, pyramids of but
ter with palms stuck in them, ant
eggs in great quantities. This cere
mony signals the close of Lent, ant
ushers in Easter Sunday. Joyfu
voices of the faithful are heard cryini
out: "Christos vor Chris" Christ 1
risen) and the response: "He Is risel
indeed" The kiss upon either cheel
Is then given by all; this salute beinl
given and received by emperor an
serf alike.