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History of the Easter Rabbit
History of the Easter Rabbit
Easter is the day Christians commemorate the resurrection of Jesus the Christ from the dead. Laden with a rich display of symbols, services, music and other rituals, Easter is considered as the most important time of the church year. Easter and its symbols have ancient and nearly universal origins that bring forth the essence of Resurrection. And of these symbols Easter Rabbit is one of the best known symbols.
As we all know, Easter is a springtime festivity. And since ages, hares and rabbits served as symbols of abundant new life in the spring season because of their frequent multiple births. Easter being a lunar festival is celebrated on the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon or after the vernal equinox. However, the first full moon in the rule is the ecclesiastical full moon. And there are number of explanations that account for hare/moon association. One of the famous associations is that the hare is nocturnal and feeds by night.
Another legend says that the Egyptians called the hare “un”, which implied open, to open and the opener. Un also signifies period. Thus the rabbit popularly became a symbol for periodicity in both the lunar and human sense of the word. The hare as opener stands for rebirth and renewal that the festivity of Easter is intricately related to. Easter bunny is also associated with the pagan goddess “Eostre”. The earthly symbol of the Anglo- Saxon goddess of spring “Eostre”, was hare. And she was worshiped for her earthly symbol.
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