The Easter Egg - Mary Magdalene & Ostara - European - Extra Mythology

Easter is a revered holiday that has been celebrated for a millennium and is often associated with Christians. But there are other, older traditions mixed into the festivities. And one very peculiar detail: Almost all celebrations center on colorful eggs. We're here with two very different stories that both show the symbolic importance of the egg and where an egg-laying bunny even comes from.

___________

___________

♪ Music: "Extra Mythology Theme" by Big Giant Circles

[ordelian]

Mary Magdalene: "Can I offer you a nice egg in these trying times?"

[barefoot_James]

I'm surprised you didn't label this as "Eggstra Mythology".

[martianpudding]

What an odd story. "I have come to tell you of a man who came back from the dead" "Also I brought an egg"

[andrelee]

I now feel obligated to demand an Extra History merch store complete with Chocolate Eggtinction Events. It would definitely give me diabetes, but I would legit buy one.

[pastdisavower]

To quote Terence Scully, “Because eggs were one of the most important foodstuffs covered by the dietary injunctions of Lent…the end of this long period of purification and abstinence…was celebrated by a blessing of eggs in church. These eggs, stained and gaudily decorated with the happiest of bright colours in anticipation of their return to the dining board, were exchanged as gifts among friends and relatives; quite naturally they became known as Easter Eggs.”

[Alusnovalotus]

So he seriously codified the “Easter egg” by hiding them in the scenery of most of the story. Clever girl.

[gabrielaubry]

In France, children were told that church bells would fly from their steeples to Rome to pick up eggs and sweets to bring back to children. 
So imagine the Easter Bunny riding flying church bells filled with chocolate and candy. XD

[alwayswolfie]

"whether it's going to church"
*currently stuck in quarantine*

[abthedragon]

Aww, Ally's kid has really grown up since Ally joined the team.

[arturoreyescortez]

Here in Mexico we have egg shells filled with confetti and we break them on other people.

[danielcharland]

There's another Christian story I've heard bout Simon of Cyrene, the man who was pressed into helping Jesus carry His cross on the way to the crucifixion. The story goes that Simon was carrying a basket of eggs to market when he was stopped and pressed into service by the Roman soldiers. Setting down his basket, he had to shoulder the heavy weight of the cross, as Jesus' body was too weak at this point from all the torture He's already undergone. When Simon got back, he found his basket of eggs had miraculously been transformed into colorful ones as a sing of God's favor and reward. This is far from any sort of official Church teaching, but it's a fun little "might have happened" story for Christians to accept or reject as they wish.

[robbiegarber]

And for those celebrating the other springtime holiday, have a good Passover Seder.


Edit: Which, also, btw, has a connection to eggs, albeit if just as one of the many denizens of the seder plate.

[emilyplunkett]

Fun fact: At least two Canadian provinces have officially declared the Easter Bunny an essential service this week.

[Gboyify]

Seeing the Extra History bean people's mouths animated caught me by surprise.

[pavarottiaardvark]

In sunday school I was told that the egg represented the stone that was rolled in front of Christ's tomb. Add another story to the pile!

[troperhghar]

Here's a helpful hint for everyone's Easter
If you are having an Easter egg hunt for your children have eatch child look for a specific colour, this will stop one child from stealing the other kids eggs

[murder]

I like how there are Easter eggs are in every slide. What a nice Easter egg!

[ViveLRoi]

I am a Pagan, and I was quite interested to see this. The stuff about Eostre/Ostara is an...interesting and complicated matter. Her name is attested mainly in Bede's Reckoning of Time, but there is evidence of inscriptions and votives to a goddess named Austriohena, which may be Ostara under a different name. If so, her name then likely has the same roots as Aurora, the goddess of the dawn who rises from the east.

It should be pointed out that the Germanic tribes did not celebrate the Equinoxes (or Solstices) per se. They had a lunar calendar, and their major festivals were pegged to the full moons. So, Ostara was not exactly a goddess of the Spring Equinox, but of Spring in general as a function as a goddess of dawn, light, fertility, and new life. The festival to Ostara was probably celebrated, coincidentally, around the same time as Passover: the first full moon AFTER the Spring Equinox.

[carolineconnelly]

I’m loving the Easter Egg of hidden Easter eggs in each scene. 🐣

[VROisbad]

I love this "extended universe" unrelated banter after the story was told