City - Cincinnati State - OHIO Country - United States
About
My annual Easter Story
The egg yolk reminded them of the sun, which was regarded as the most powerful natural element. According to one legend birds were the favorite creatures of the sun god because they alone could soar into the heavens. People, being mere mortals, could not fly, but they could collect eggs, which they associated with the all-powerful sun god. In addition to this, the egg produced a rooster who they believed had the power to summon the sun every morning. With the advent of Christianity to Ukraine the egg became an important part of the Easter ritual associated with the new religion and many legends handed down throughout the ages relates the story of the origin of Easter eggs. When Christ was dying on the cross blood flowing from his many wounds fell on the ground. Wherever a drop fell a red Easter egg was created. Christ's mother, Mary, was standing beneath his cross praying and crying. Those red Easter eggs on which her tear would land, in turn, became elaborately decorated Easter eggs. Mary gathered all the eggs into a kerchief and went to Pontius Pilate to ask for permission to bury her son. On her way there she gave an Easter egg to each child she met, along with the admonition to live in peace. Arriving a the palace of Pilate, Mary fainted and the Easter eggs from her kerchief rolled all over the world, from that day on people everywhere decorate eggs at Easter time and give them to each other as an expression of love and peace. Thus in Ukrainian folklore a pagan ritual was incorporated into Christianity.
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{K:4389} 3/23/2008
