The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-03-22
Easter Celebration in Ancient
Days Festivals Of no Small Moment

AS with everything else the celebra-
ton of the resurrection of Christ has
moved on a pace and the observance
of Easter Sunday now differs widely
from Easter in the olden times. Even
now the people of various countries
have their own manner in which to do
honor to this, the most beautiful sea-
son of the year, when all things are new
and fresh and the world of society
and fashion return to their old haunts
of pleasure from their long season OF
fasting and repentance. Some quaint
customs formerly attended the dbserV-
ance of Easter, and stories of how our
ancestors came to celebrate this
spring festival are very interesting.
In ancient times the SaXons were wor-
shippers of the heathen goddess Eostre,
whose festival fell in the spring. The
feast of the resurrection falling in the
spring also, the name was transform
ed to the Christian feast which, in the
Saxon church, was regarded as the
queen of festivals. It was termed the
Day of Light, and from mfHnight of
Easter eve until daylight the churches
were brilliantly illuminated and decor
ated. On Easter morning the people
| fiocked to the elaborate service, ana
especially to witness the symbolic re-
surrection from the sepulchre. This
was represented by the priests elevat-
ing in full view of the people the sup
posed body of the risen Christ. In
| connection with the celebration in the
| churches the people INDUCED in feast
| ing and rejoicing in their own homes.
| This was but natural reaction from
the rigorous fast of Lent imposed by
the church, during which no meat
whatever was eaten and on Good Fri
day no food at all was permitted upon
| the tables, Even the most devout
christians must have been rayenouSly
hungry and rejoiced in the prospect of
the Easter feast. The tables were
covered with meats and pastries,
which had been in preparation for
| days, and the entire week was given
over to the celebration. The eggs al
ways played an important part in
! these celebrations of Easter. In the
early English days the eggs were very
highly colored and decorated with
| landscapes and elaborate inscriptions.
| While most of the old elaborate dis
plays have fallen into disuse, the egg
| in some form yet remains feature of
| Easter in modern times. In Vienna
| the Easter egg is made Of silver,
mother of pearl and bronze, filled with
| all sorts of knick -knacks and quaint
devices. The Tyrolese peasants yet
retain a very pretty custom of cele-
| brating Easter, in which the egg fig
ures prominently. On Easter eve
1
valley, singing holiday hymns. Their
picturesque hats are adorned with
| flowers. Crowds of children accom-
oany them and at night carry torches
Of lighted pine wood. AS they pause
before each house the people come to
the doors and pour eggs into the bas-
kets Of the singers, while they them"
selves join in, the chorus. In olden
times the Polish endeavored to sur
pass one another in elaborate Easter
| display and sumptuous feasts. The
guests feasted during one whole week.
As soon as the Easter service was
over they surrounded the tables and
| the entertainment lasted until mid
night. The princes band played lively
airs and the young people were never
tired of dancing, nor the elderly ones
| of talking of the good old times, and
| drinking to the health of the prince.
Many strange Easter customs are
found in Latin countries. In Florence
| it is the custom to extinguish the
lights in all the churches on Good
Friday as symbol of the death Of
Jesus, the extinction of life. The
lights having been extinguished all is