Evening capital. [volume] (Annapolis, Md.) 1922-1981, 1923-03-31
EASTER IS OLDEST
CHRISTIAN FEAST
Celebrated Ever Since Resurrec
tion-Succeeded Spring OBJ
servance Of Ancients

The custom of holding a great popu
lar festival in the spring to welcom
the return of heightened days goe
back to the Oldest recorded history
and was well nigh universal. TIL
Feast of the Passover. established ac
cording to Biblical tradition by Nose
in the wilderness. and celebrated an
nually by the Jewish people afte
their return from exile in Babylonia
is nn example of such a spring festi
val spiritualized by giving it dis
tinctly religious character.
The crucifixion took place on tn
Friday before one of the celebration
of the Passover. and the resurrectio
on the morning of "the first day
the week." that is on Sunday. In
sense, then, it is correct to state ths
Easter is the successor to the sprin
festival of ancient mythology How
ever, because of the enormous import
ance of the historical fact of tn
resurrection to the Christian faith. tn
Easter feast contains elements which
raise it entirely above and beyond tn,
spring time festival of pagan people
Oldest OF All Festivals
Historians state that the name Eas
ter is derived from Eastre. a Saxor
goddess in whose honor the grea
spring festival was celebrated. The
celebration of Easter seems to have
been. observed by Christians eve;
since the resurrection, and is there
fore the oldest of all the festivals In
the Christian calendar The celebra
tion OF the nativity on Christmas da,
did not begin until the fourth century
During the days of the Apostles, Sun
day was observed as the Sabbath by
Christians instead of the seventh day
Saturday, which was the Sabbath OF
the Jews. Throughout .Christendom
in all ages, Friday has been a fast day
and Sunday feast day. as weekly
memorials of the crucifixion on Fri
day, and the resurrection on Sunday.
The symbolism which connects the
sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb and the
eating OF unleavened bread at the
Jewish Feast of the Passover, with
the sacrifice of the lamb of God and
the putting aside of the "leaven of
wickedness." has permeated Jewish
and Christian literature and liturgy
from the days of the prophets
Confusion Over Date
In earlier days considerable con-
fusion arose over the date of Easter.
but the Jewish Passover was fixed in
"the law" by day of month, the
months being regulated by the phases
of the moon. Astronomical problems
entered into the question, and 1t was
not until A. d. 325 that a definite
method OF determining the date of
Easter was authorized Even today
in some of the eastern and oriental
churches. the western usage is not ac-
cepted. In the West Easter is defined
as "the first Sunday after the first full
moon after the spring equinox" that
is after March 21. This year the Pas
chal full moon occurs on Easter day
Today, in English-speaking lands
Easter holds a pre-eminent position
as a religious festival. Christmas, al
though Christian in origin, has as
sumed largely a secular character. bu'
Easter, with its promise of new life
new joy, new spiritual grace and
above all, renewed hope of life in the
world to come, draws to the churches
Christians of all types and fills the
houses of worship with their largest
congregations of the year.