The Easter Bunny (Continued)        

      The Date For Easter

So why does Easter fall on different days each year but always on a Sunday?  How does the Easter Bunny know when it is time to deliver his colored eggs to all the expectant children?  This again is an involved and interesting study. 

The first century Christians were composed mostly of Jewish believers in Jesus Christ.  Because the Jews were opposed to Christianity and because of Roman persecution of the Jews which included the Christians, the meeting day for Christians became Sunday instead of the Jewish Sabbath day which is Saturday.  This was a process that happened over a long period of time.  Sunday for the Christians became known as “The Lord’s Day” and was a weekly celebration of Christ’s resurrection. 

The first century Christians did not celebrate Easter but only celebrated the Passover which occurred on the 14th day of the month of Nisan in the Jewish calendar which is based on the cycles of the moon.  As the Christian religion developed the emphasis changed from celebrating the Passover to celebrating the Resurrection Day.  Because there was confusion on how to determine the day Easter should be observed, the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. addressed this issue and decreed that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was to be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the Vernal Equinox.  So for 2009 Easter occurs on April 12th,  in 2010 it is on April 4th, and in 2011 it is on 24th (the latest it can ever be observed is on April 25th).

The Vernal Equinox was set by the Nicean Council to be March 21st,  but the true astrological Vernal Equinox can be March 20, 21, or 22nd.  The Equinox is actually a moment in time and not a day.  It occurs when the axis of the earth is perfectly lined up with the sun so there is an equal amount of day and night on that day.

The Eastern Orthodox Church’s Easter dates differ from the western churches in that they calculate the date of Easter using the Julian calendar and not the Gregorian calendar.  Some years their celebration date does coincide.
           
    The Event of Easter

There was much debate over having a special celebration of Christ’s resurrection since it was not mandated by Scripture.  Polycarp, a disciple of the gospel writer John, argued for continuing the celebration of the Passover.  But Easter became a dominant tradition and the Nicean Council made it official, even using the name Easter to describe the event.

We at the Mid-South Bunny Museum love the Easter Bunny, his multi-colored eggs, and the chocolate Easter eggs and jelly beans that fill up the pretty Easter basket.  All the Easter-themed bunny items are proudly on display at this time of year.  We also enjoy the Easter Sunday church service.
           
    Easter Trivia

Every year Americans spend $2 Billion on Easter goodies.

A survey showed 76% of people eat the chocolate bunnies ears off first.

The most expensive Easter Eggs were made in the 1880’s by goldsmith Peter Faberge for Czar Alexander III.

The Eastern Orthodox believers tend to dye their eggs red.

The Easter lily symbolizes the resurrection.  95% of the lily bulbs are grown along the California-Oregon border (11 million annually).

East ham is a tradition with many and is suppose to bring good luck.

Easter Eve fire is a German tradition.  The fire represents the Easter Bunny making dyes for the eggs.

Lent was established in the 4th century as a 6 1/2 weeks season of reflection and repentance with begins with Ash Wednesday. 

Lenten season is considered to be for 40 days because the Sundays are not counted.

The Medieval Catholic Church fasted from meats and eggs during Lent, so there was an abundance of eggs on Easter Sunday.

The Medieval Catholic Church would bring baskets full of meats and eggs to church on Easter to be blessed.