Easter
Easter is the First Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox. The
festival of Easter derives its name from the pre-Christian goddess symbols of rebirth,
fertility and spring; the Saxon Eastre and Old German Eostre. The ancient symbols of
hare and egg, both known as signs of the return of life after winter’s sleep, today carry
the Christian association of the Resurrection of Christ. For the adult, the mysteries of
death and resurrection are central to a living appreciation of Easter. As many ponder the
events in the life of Christ leading up to the resurrection, we can grow in understanding.
But such topics are not appropriate for the young child who still lacks an inner experience
of death. To the young child, the world is permeated with life. Easter is celebrated as a
time of healing, transformation and rebirth. Seeds are planted and new life begins. The
young child can begin to understand this through stories and songs of the death of the
caterpillar and his rebirth as a butterfly.