Whether as a shop window decoration, as an ornament on the Easter bouquet or as part of the Easter menu: eggs, lambs and rabbits are the symbols of Easter.
The Easter Bunny
The rabbit has been a symbol of fertility for centuries, as it is one of the first animals to have offspring in spring. With up to 20 cubs a year, it is also a very fertile animal. Rabbits were considered messengers of the Germanic goddess of spring and fertility, Ostara. The term Easter for the resurrection festival of Christ may be derived from her name.
When Byzantium was the second Christian center in the world (565 to 1453), the rabbit was considered a symbol of Christ. The Easter bunny is by no means the only animal hiding eggs. In some areas and countries other animals are responsible for this. For example, in Tyrol the chickens and in Switzerland the cuckoo or storks are responsible.
The easteregg
In Christianity, the hard-boiled egg, which has been given away on Easter morning for thousands of years, stands for the death of Christ. Thus, the Easter egg became a sign of rebirth and life at the same time.
The custom of looking for Easter eggs probably developed in Alsace in the 17th century. Eggs were not allowed to be eaten until Easter Sunday because of the Lent period that lasted until then. Therefore, a lot of eggs accumulated during this period. In the Middle Ages, farmers delivered part of the eggs to their feudal lords as interest in kind. The remaining eggs received the egg blessing “benedictio ovorum” in the church. That’s why they’re colorful. They have been colored to distinguish them from the unconsecrated eggs.
The Easter Lamb
The lamb is best known as a sacrificial animal. Its white fur is a symbol of purity and peace and is said to call people to lead peaceful lives. Traditionally it was slaughtered and eaten at the Jewish Passover festival. The “Agnus Dei”, the Lamb of God, stands for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to the Gospels, the Passover lambs were slaughtered when Jesus was crucified or when the Lord’s Supper was celebrated.
