What is the real purpose of Easter being a holiday?
Easter is the most important religious holiday of the Christian liturgical year in Europe, observed in March, April, or May to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, which Christians believe occurred after his death by crucifixion in AD 27-33. But in America the most important celebration is Christmas, as measured by attention paid to the observance (i.e. time and money). Easter can also refer to the season of the church year, lasting for fifty days, which follows this holiday and ends at Pentecost.
Easter used to be a pagan festival to the goddess eoster (she was the goddess of fertility) BUT when Christianity came to Britain during the end of the Roman days the time of year corresponded with the Jewish Passover – Jesus was crucified then on the hill Golgotha [place of the skull]. This happened on Friday [Good Friday] then on the Sunday following, Jesus rose from the dead – His atoning work complete.
Christians celebrate Easter as the resurrection of Jesus Christ, however, the celebration of Easter and many of its symbols begin prior to Christianity and in fact have ancient pagan roots. Easter takes its name from Ishtar, the Babylonian and Assyrian goddess of love and fertility. The Phoenicians knew her as Astarte, sister and consort of Baal, a God worshipped in much of the Middle East and Mediterranean. Some of the ancient Hebrews also worshipped Baal. Astarte spread through Europe, becoming Ostara, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, fertility, and the rising sun. The Old English word for Easter, “Eastre” refers to Ostara.
