Easter eggs

History:

• Easter eggs are special eggs given to celebrate the Easter holiday or springtime.

• The egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the earth in celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus.[1]

• The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans. These eggs are often hidden, allegedly by the Easter Bunny, for children to find on Easter morning. Otherwise, they are generally put in a basket filled with real or artificial straw to resemble a bird's nest.

Christian symbols and practice • The egg is seen as symbolic of the grave and life renewed or resurrected by

breaking out of it. The red supposedly symbolizes the blood of Christ redeeming the world and human redemption through the blood shed in the sacrifice of the crucifixion. The egg itself is a symbol of resurrection: while being dormant it contains a new life sealed within it.

• For Orthodox Christians, the Easter egg is much more than a celebration of the ending of the fast, it is a declaration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Traditionally, Orthodox Easter eggs are dyed red to represent the blood of Christ, shed on the Cross, and the hard shell of the egg symbolized the sealed Tomb of Christ—the cracking of which symbolized his resurrection from the dead.

• In the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, Easter eggs are blessed by the priest at the end of the Paschal Vigil, and distributed to the faithful. Each household also brings an Easter basket to church, filled not only with Easter eggs but also with other Paschal foods such as paskha, kulich or Easter breads, and these are blessed by the priest as well.

Eggs in UK

• In the UK, with eggs is related to many competitions. The first one, also known in our country is painted eggs - that is, the preparation of so-called Easter eggs. According to legend, people in England believe that the tradition of preparing eggs comes from the fact that the Virgin Mary painted eggs, in order to impress the Infant Jesus. Easter eggs are left in England after Easter, because it is considered that lucky.

Eggs in Poland

• Eggs, reigning at the Easter table, are a symbol of life and rebirth. Beautifully decorated for centuries adorned the tables at the Polish Easter. Although over the years, ways of dyeing and decorating eggs has changed, but the tradition remained. During the holidays Easter eggs bestows a family and friends, which is provide them with health, strength and success in matters of the heart.

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Authors: Monika Szymanek, Anna Krumpolc, Monika Leka.