Blessings to all this Spring Equinox!
It seems appropriate to appreciate the roots of the traditional Easter celebration which take us back to the rites that honored the fertility Goddesses...
Aphrodite from ancient Cyprus
Ashtoreth from ancient Israel
Astarté from ancient Greece
Demeter from Mycenae
Hathor from ancient Egypt
Ishtar from Assyria
Kali, from India
Ostara a Norse Goddess of fertility.
Interestingly, it is easy to see where the word Easter was coined considering the Roman influence on this so-called Christian holiday - Astarte was the Goddess honored by the Greeks and later assimilated by Rome. Easter grew out of Astarte worship.
The colored eggs and bunnies - both fertility symbols, were also integrated into Christendom when Rome made the political move to make its Emperor Constantine Christian and thus unify the realm.
The fact that this holiday is traditionally celebrated on Sunday is also possibly of pre-Christian Roman influence. Consider that the very word "Sunday” was coined by combining the name of the Roman Sun God, Sol and the word "dies" meaning "day" making it the weekly day honoring Sol.
Would it be co-incidence that the "Christian" Easter is celebrated, with all of the fertility symbols of the ancient traditional celebration honoring fertility Goddesses, on the day which also honors the Sun God? Rather, it appears to be the ultimate ritual in observance of the merging of divine feminine and masculine, goddess and god at the Spring Equinox in honor of the creative manifestation of this coupling.
This time is ripe with creative energy, may you all manifest great things this Spring Equinox!
It seems appropriate to appreciate the roots of the traditional Easter celebration which take us back to the rites that honored the fertility Goddesses...
Aphrodite from ancient Cyprus
Ashtoreth from ancient Israel
Astarté from ancient Greece
Demeter from Mycenae
Hathor from ancient Egypt
Ishtar from Assyria
Kali, from India
Ostara a Norse Goddess of fertility.
Interestingly, it is easy to see where the word Easter was coined considering the Roman influence on this so-called Christian holiday - Astarte was the Goddess honored by the Greeks and later assimilated by Rome. Easter grew out of Astarte worship.
The colored eggs and bunnies - both fertility symbols, were also integrated into Christendom when Rome made the political move to make its Emperor Constantine Christian and thus unify the realm.
The fact that this holiday is traditionally celebrated on Sunday is also possibly of pre-Christian Roman influence. Consider that the very word "Sunday” was coined by combining the name of the Roman Sun God, Sol and the word "dies" meaning "day" making it the weekly day honoring Sol.
Would it be co-incidence that the "Christian" Easter is celebrated, with all of the fertility symbols of the ancient traditional celebration honoring fertility Goddesses, on the day which also honors the Sun God? Rather, it appears to be the ultimate ritual in observance of the merging of divine feminine and masculine, goddess and god at the Spring Equinox in honor of the creative manifestation of this coupling.
This time is ripe with creative energy, may you all manifest great things this Spring Equinox!
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Portland
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Re: Easter - a link to the goddess.
Sat, April 15, 2006 - 11:58 PMBlessed BE ! ....Thank you and happy Astart'e to you too! -
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Re: Easter - a link to the goddess.
Wed, May 3, 2006 - 7:30 PMI know this is a little late on topic, since Easter came and went, but, hey, I've been away from tribe. So just in case anyone is still interested...
This info comes from Amy Marashinsky's "The Goddess Oracle"...
Eostre or Eastre was a German goddess of fertililty, agriculture, and springtime. She was celebrated with the ritual lighting of dawn fires as protection for crops. She was a symbol of springtime, new growth, and rebirth. Once, when Eostre was late in coming, a little girl found a baby bird close to death from the cold. She called for Eostre to help. A rainbow bridge appeared, and Eostre came, wearing a beautiful red robe of warm, vibrant sunlight that melted the snow. Spring had arrived! Because the little bird was wounded beyond repair, Eostre changed it into a snow hare who then became her companion and brought rainbow eggs every spring. Eostre told the little girl to watch for the snow hare to come to the woods as a sign of spring coming every year.
So there you have the Goddess of Spring, bunnies, chicks, rainbows and eggs... even the name of the holiday. Early Christians were masters of the cultural appropriation... -
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Re: Easter - a link to the goddess.
Sun, May 7, 2006 - 12:38 PM
Great post!
Thanks, Hilary!
:-)
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