Apr 02 2010
Easter Everywhere and for All
Easter traditions as we know them in Quebec have their roots in panoply of influences religious and pagan. At all times and in all cultures, the arrival of Spring has been celebrated. American Indians “made the trees cry” for maple syrup, while elsewhere the first lamb was sacrificed to mark the occasion.
The custom of offering eggs as a harbinger of Spring dates back to antiquity! Universal symbol of fertility and rebirth, the egg thus was handed down through the centuries coloured, painted, ornamented with dried flowers or stones and precious metals in the Fabergé mode, eventually ending up alongside the religious traditions of Easter.
Taking place the first Sunday following the full moon of the Spring equinox, the Christian celebration of Easter marks the resurrection, the power of life. Within the orthodox church, the celebration occurs a few days later but its rites and customs are all inspired by this idea of renewal! Rome’s chiming bells on Easter morning, egg hunts, candy and holiday meals take place to celebrate life, the arrival of Spring and the wish for happy days.
