From: catherine yronwode <yronwode@sonic.net>
Newsgroups: alt.pagan,alt.satanism,alt.magick.tyagi,alt.religion.wicca,talk.religion.misc,alt.religion.christian,alt.christnet,talk.religion.newage
Subject: Re: Paganism in Catholicism
Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 12:20:41 +0000

lorax wrote:
> 
> > palo@netcom.com (Gerry Palo) wrote:
> >
> Constance E. Sheppard <coope037@tc.umn.edu>:

> > > EASTER   OESTRE   OSTARA
> > > Ostara is the Vernal Equinox.
 
> So what is Oestre?  Easter is not the Vernal Equinox.

> > > ...Easter not having anything to do with a pre-Christian
> > > (non-Judaic) religion?  I beg to differ.
 
> Apparently it does have *something* to do with it (in name at least).

> > If you want to find the relationship between pagan religion and
> > Christianity then you will need to do more than play associative games
> > with words designating the names of seasons in certain parts of the world.
 
> Instead of saying what we need to do, please explain why Easter is related
> to the Sunday in March/April/whatever.  I gather it relates to 'after Full
> Moon before Equinox'.  Some symbolic significance here that you are not saying?

When is Christian Easter? 

Easter is the first Sunday after Jewish Pasover (Pesach). That's because
Jewish Jesus had the Last Supper at Passover and his sacrifice was seen
by Christians as a type of Passover sacrifice. Passover can start on any
day of the week, but the Christian church always displaces Jewish
worship-days to Sundays.

When is Jewish Passover (Pesach)? 

Passover is the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. That's because 
the Jewish religion uses a lunar calendar. 

When is the Vernal Equinox?

When the rising sun enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, generally March
20th or 21st.

So what relation does Easter have to the Vernal Equinox? 

Almost every year, Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon 
after the Vernal Equinox. There are occasionally slight glitches in this 
formula caused by the fact that Jewish days start at sundown and 
Christian days start at dawn, but as a rule, Easter follows the Vernal 
Equinox by the amount of time it takes the moon to become full (which 
varies every year) plus the number of days to the next Sunday (which 
also varies every year). 

You're welcome. 

catherine yronwode -------------------- mailto:yronwode@sonic.net
news:alt.lucky.w -- discussion of folkloric amulets and talismans