♥ WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD ♥

Christians celebrate Easter to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Some aspects of modern Easter celebrations, 

however, pre-date Christianity.

Ancient Spring Goddess

According to the Venerable Bede, 

Easter derives its name from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. 

A month corresponding to April had been named "Eostremonat," or Eostre's month, l

eading to "Easter" becoming applied to the Christian holiday 

that usually took place within it. 

Prior to that, the holiday had been called Pasch (Passover), 

which remains its name in most non-English languages.

(Based on the similarity of their names, some connect Eostre with Ishtar, 

the Babylonian and Assyrian goddess of love and fertility, 

but there is no solid evidence for this.)

It seems probable that around the second century A.D., 

Christian missionaries seeking to convert the tribes of northern Europe

 noticed that the Christian holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus 

roughly coincided with the Teutonic springtime celebrations,

 which emphasized the triumph of life over death. 

Christian Easter gradually absorbed the traditional symbols.

The Lord is risen,
Tell one, tell all,
The Lord is risen,
Do you hear me call?
The Lord is risen,
Go forth and see;
The Lord is risen,
Yea, triumphantly!
The Lord is risen,
My heart does sing;
The Lord is risen,
Salvation all to bring!
Sing with me, brother,
Rejoice and praise;
Our joyful hearts
To God we raise!
Dance with me, sister,
As we sing this song:
Jesus rose from the dead,
With Him we belong!
Proclaim to all
This Message we will,
The Lord is risen
He reigns now still!
You, Lord, are risen
I rejoice to see;
You, Lord, are risen,
Yea, triumphantly!