mikec (04/14/83)
(from Mark) :
"Rabbits have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Easter. They are
a symbol of fertility, the symbolism was used for the spring
(equinox?) rites and ceremonies by pre-christian peoples in the
Western Old World. Any clarification or further info is welcome."
RESPONSE :
You seem to have scrambled your folklore (and eggs) slightly.
Many Easter customs came from the spring fertility rites of pagan
religions. Eggs were, of course, a primitive symbol of fertility.
The rabbit (actually the European hare) was considered to be very
mysterious and magical. Hares generally gather in bands on clear
moonlit nights and also feed at night. Moreover, northern hares
are brown in the summer and white in the winter (evolution in
action). Although these properties seem pretty dull today, they
were considered powerfull magic by primitive people. When belief
in witchcraft was common (and some STILL believe), witches were
thought to be able to turn themselves into hares and black cats.
As Christianity supplanted the pagan religions, many of the older
customs were converted into Christian versions. Thus Easter is
celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the
vernal equinox. Eggs are given as a symbol of fertility. The hare
(ye bunny rabbit) comes into the picture as a symbol of new life,
and the custom of giving a white rabbit to children is based on a
fable about a white rabbit playing under the Easter moon. Another
example of pagan customes being converted into Christian versions
is the celebration of Christmas. The pagans celebrated the birth
(renewal) of the Sun during the winter solstice (sun halt). They
also brought shrubs and bushes indoors for this celebration. The
Christians converted this holiday into Christmas. The calendar in
use in Roman times (corrected by Julius Caesar) placed the winter
solstice on December 25th (modern calendar : December 21th). In
C.E. 274, the Roman Emperor Aurelian, made December 25th the day
of the birth of the Sun. Christmas (on December 25th) was not a
religious festival until after C.E. 300.
Micheal D. Cranford
Tektronix
Teklabs