Like any religious - and particularly Christian - festival, Easter carries with it an overwhelming amount of symbolism. Here's a run through of the most familiar sights on decorations and the like during the Easter period, what they represent and why they are so significant:
1. Eggs
Easter eggs are a tradition in both religious and secular households, though interestingly they are routed in Paganism. To the Pagans, the egg represented fertility and new life, and as Easter coincides with the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, Christianity adapted this Pagan symbolism as their own for Easter.
2. Bunnies, Rabbits and Hares
As well as the well-known Easter Bunny, who supposedly leaves eggs and other treats for children to find, much of Easter is awash with rabbit and hare symbolism. These animals represent spring and new life, and again find their primary routes in Paganism.
3. Lambs
Lambs also represent new life and the start of spring - such as the phrase "spring lamb" - but at Easter they have a second meaning. In religious symbolism, the lamb represents Jesus - and is depicted this way in artwork. Jesus was the sacrificial lamb, who died at Easter for the sins of the world.
4. Palms
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem prior to his arrest and crucifixion, he was welcomed by townspeople throwing palms on the ground. In modern times, palms appear regularly at Easter time in memory of these events.
5. Hot Cross Buns
The cross is a much known Christian symbol, and at Easter is often spread on to a 'bun' cake. The cross represents Jesus' triumph over death, as in the resurrection.
DANIELA OLIVEIRA
APRIL / 2022
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