The name Easter comes from the Hebrew word
“Pesach”, meaning “passage”. It is the most important
feast in Christian liturgy and it represents the Resurrection of
Christ. This year we celebrate it on April 8th.
The egg form has always fascinated men. In
many countries exchanging eggs as gifts was a custom, especially
to celebrate the return of Spring.
The custom of giving eggs on Easter Day appeared
only after the advent of Christianity.
In 1884, the Zar of Russia, Alexander III,
commissioned the first egg-jewel, created by Carl Fabergé, the
famous French jeweller, who at that time worked in his father’s
laboratory in Saint Petersburg. The result was a “precious”
egg, a little masterpiece in gold with precious stones. It was
a great success and Fabergé became the official jeweller of the
royal Russian family.
Now the traditional egg jewels by Fabergé are
almost impossible to find, although the tradition continues up
to today.
Easter is celebrated in various countries with
special traditions. The Easter egg is often the centre of
attention.
The students can use this information for making
up questions.
Ex. When is Easter celebrated this year?
Who created the first egg jewel?
When did the custom of giving Easter eggs first
appear?
They can also do some research regarding how
Easter is celebrated in different countries.
A Nice Thought
“Easter tells us that life is to be
interpreted not simply in terms of things but in terms of
ideals.”