PadrePioOfPietrelcino Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Reflecting today on the death of our Lord and him laying in the tomb I have been drawn to recollect on the symbolism of our Easter Celebrations. I grew up with the Easter Bunny bringing treat filled eggs to my brothers and sisters and running around my Grandparents backyard with my brother and sisters. I have great memories of these childhood Easters (thanks mom and dad). The egg is an incredibly old symbol of fertility and new life pre dating the Christians. Christians found the traditional symbolism of the egg to be of great value and adopted it as a symbol of their new faith. The egg served as a representation of a stone tomb from which emerges new life (a chick). Early Mesopotamian Christians began dying the eggs red to symbolize the blood Christ shed for us on the Cross. A powerful statement in such a little etching like a dyed egg. Over time the celebratory nature of Easter began to be appreciated more and more and the decoration evolved and became more festive along with it. Seeing children enjoy these things these messages began to be given in candy filled eggs which of course can get a child's attention and perhaps gain value for their parents instruction about the meaning of the eggs. Now the bunny has also been long held as a symbol of fertility, but Christians never attributed symbolism to it, never involved in any liturgies nor blessings of any kind (unlike the egg which did and does in the liturgies of our Eastern Brethen of the Eastern Catholic Rites and Orthodox) The Easter Bunny just crept in as an a associated fertility symbol and planted himself firmly in the childhood favorite Easter Egg hunt bringing the gifts of the eggs. My question is that in such a symbolically rich thing as an egg hunt why do we allow the bunny to bring these things when in reality these were given to us by the lamb on the cross. Now the Lamb HAS been a long held East symbol which ties in so much Christian teaching I will not reiterate it in a Facebook status which is probably so long few will read it. Because the Easter Bunny has no historical or real symbolism valued to Christians and since Easter is a Holiday we should celebrate in the fullness of the Truth of Christ's death and Resurection bringing us all of the saving Grace of God as a free gift I propose the Easter Bunny should be left to die and we should instead to invite the Easter Lamb into our lives not just spiritually, but symbolically, and we should strive to live our lives more fully and completely in the light of Christ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToJesusMyHeart Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 (edited) We as a Church have a long history of baptizing pagan symbolism. Just something to consider. It is not entirely true that the rabbit has never had meaning in Christian art. At least according to Wikipedia. If you do not like Wikipedia, then your mileage may vary. Edited March 29, 2013 by Nihil Obstat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePioOfPietrelcino Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 It's not a problem with adopting a pagan symbol, but the connection and symbolism is at best weak in my view. I hadn't seen that wiki before, thanks. I still think the overall symbolism as weak tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 It's not a problem with adopting a pagan symbol, but the connection and symbolism is at best weak in my view. I hadn't seen that wiki before, thanks. I still think the overall symbolism as weak tho. It sounds like it was used relatively early on in Christian art, and then slowly fell by the wayside. Potentially similar to what is happening to the pelican symbolism today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePioOfPietrelcino Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 I must admit I am competed unaware of pelican symbolism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I must admit I am competed unaware of pelican symbolism. As are many Catholics today. And if the pelican had been used as a pagan symbol at some point in time (and I do not know if that is the case or not), then it is entirely possible that those same Catholics might see it purely in a pagan light, when in reality its Christian symbolism is actually quite powerful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePioOfPietrelcino Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 Right...I see your point and I understand that there CAN be a "simple" symbolism to some things, but the rabbit has not be included liturgically, nor the pelican beyond decorative aspect in that symbolism. Egg were, the paschal lamb obviously has significance. I don't know if I am doing a good job of explaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beati Pacifici Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I am not even a fan of the word Easter. I prefer "Feast of the resurrection". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Right...I see your point and I understand that there CAN be a "simple" symbolism to some things, but the rabbit has not be included liturgically, nor the pelican beyond decorative aspect in that symbolism. Egg were, the paschal lamb obviously has significance. I don't know if I am doing a good job of explaining. I am not sure what you are trying to say. Referring to the pelican again, because I am somewhat more familiar with that, it has been incorporated in liturgical art for centuries. You will often find it on altars and vestments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePioOfPietrelcino Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 I guess what is at the root of my thought is that the Rabbit may have been used in some decoration, but the symbolism and meaning is not consistent, and Bunnies have never been blessed as a sacramental. Contrasted with the egg which actually has blessings done over them and a deep consistent symbolism I don't see the Bunny as having as strong of a case to be in our Eastern celebration prime tlk as it is. Resurection and new life is better shown by the egg and rather than symbolizing something duplicating a part of that symbolism the Easter Lamb is much fuller and more to reflect upon (at least for me). Culturally I think the lamb is more easily relatable as a symbol in today's Church as well. So maybe I should amend my position slightly, is the Bunny WRONG? Perhaps not, but there is a better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I am not even a fan of the word Easter. I prefer "Feast of the resurrection". Resurrection Sunday, according to the fundies in my office.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I liek teh bunnies. They are fluffy. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Personally, I worship Attis and wait in joyful hope for when we find he has been regenerated at the vernal equinox! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortify Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Personally, I worship Attis and wait in joyful hope for when we find he has been regenerated at the vernal equinox! *yawn* There are so many divergent accounts on Attis himself let a lone his death that it's hard to find a point to begin. One account has Attis getting married when his bride dies. Out of grief he sits himself under a pine tree, emasculates himself, and then dies. When a fellow by the name of Agistis sees him and feels guilty over his death, he requests Zeus to resuscitate him. Interestingly Zeus does not resuscitate him, instead like a typical mischeavous Greek deity, he only makes Attis' body incorrupt. Some versions of Attis have no resucitation or preservation of his body, and interestingly enough the few scholars who actually devote themselves to the topic say the exact opposite of what our friend tardis suggests, namely that based on the dated evidence the cult of Attis modified itself to respond to the challenge of Christianity, and not the other way around (cf "Cybele and Christ" by A.T. Fear). Ah! but who cares of good scholarship as long as Christianity is attacked, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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