Easter Eggs
Easter is a Christian celebration however egg colouring is a tradition, which has existed for over 2.500 thousand years. In reality the roots of colouring eggs, originate from ancient Persia during the 6th century B.C.
Most historians agree that the believers of the ancient Persian religion coloured eggs in order to celebrate the nee year. Based on the ancient Persian calendar, the New Year was in spring and in particular on the 20th of March.
Even today colouring eggs is still a tradition in areas that once belonged to ancient Persia. The particular tradition seems to be even older as there is evidence that the civilization that lived in central Europe (today’s Ukraine) coloured eggs with wax and paint from 4500 B.C.
When Christianity spread in Ukraine during the 10th century A.D, the ancient tradition of decorating eggs was then linked with Christianity. In 1290, the king of England Edward I commanded that 450 eggs be coloured and decorated with gold leaves in order to be given as presents to his blueblood relatives.
A few years later the Vatican decided to continue this tradition, by sending Henry the VIII, an egg in a silver chest, in order to mark the beginning of the Easter celebrations. This tradition continued as villagers began decorating eggs and sending them as presents. From the 13th century, Christians continued colouring eggs and celebrating the beginning of the Easter Period.
Orthodox Christians
According to the orthodox tradition, red eggs are coloured on Holy Thursday. The egg symbolises the tomb in which Jesus was placed in, which was shut like an eggshell but had life in it, as Jesus came out of his tomb and was resurrected.
Nowadays eggs are coloured in a variety of colours, however according to tradition the eggs should be coloured red. It is well known that coloured eggs were found during antiquity, in Rome, Greece, China, and Egypt as presents during spring celebrations, along with rabbits, which are the symbol of fertility. As for the particular colour of red, there are many explanations.
One of the most accepted explanations is that the red colour symbolises the blood and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Other versions are linked to three women: the Virgin Mary, Magdalene and one more anonymous woman who did not believe.
A justification, which is often given, is that the Virgin Mary took a basket of eggs and offered them to the guards who were watching Jesus, and begged them to treat him well. When her tears fell on the eggs, they became red.
Another story connects the red colour with Mary Magdalene. When the Roman Emperor was informed of the Resurrection of Jesus, he considered it as unlikely as the eggs turning red. Therefore, Mary Magdalene coloured some eggs red and took them to him in order to confirm the event.
A variation of this story has a woman who did not believe that the Resurrection of Jesus had occurred. She said that when Jesus is resurrected then the eggs that she held would turn red. To her amazement, the eggs did turn red.
