There are many theories about why eggs are painted on Easter, none of which is documented. The tradition itself was first mentioned in a 10th century document found in the library of one of the Greek monasteries. The document says that after the Easter service, it was necessary to read a prayer blessing eggs and cheese.
Why are eggs painted on Easter and not other foods?
In Christianity, this tradition is a sacred symbol of the sacrament, and every bearer of the faith should observe it. In the code of laws of the church from the 13th century, it was said that the abbot can punish the monk who did not eat a colored egg on Easter Sunday, since in this way he casts doubt on the apostolic traditions and does not honor the Son of God.
The use of eggs as a symbol of resurrection is not accidental. Even before Christianity, they symbolized the universe and the beginning of life. In ancient Rome, Egypt, Greece, they personified the birth of a living being. In the Christian faith, however, this product was a symbol of the Holy Sepulcher, which contained undying life. According to legend, the tomb of Christ was transformed with a stone, the outlines of which were similar to a hen's egg. That is why for people Easter coloring is identified with liberation from death and with eternal life.
Why do we paint eggs red - version one
One of the theories of the origin of this tradition says that after the crucifixion of Christ, the inhabitants of Judea, in the amount of seven people, had a rich feast. Among the dishes on the table were boiled eggs. One of those present began to talk about the fact that today is the third day after the execution and that Jesus must come to life.
He was laughed back and told that if the resurrection occurs, the eggshell will turn red and after a second it will change color to red. From that moment on, every Christian has carried out the procedure of coloring the symbol of life in shades of red, thus saluting the victory over the lack of faith.
Why Easter eggs are painted red - a second guess
According to the version listed on Wikipedia , after the resurrection of the Savior, his followers went to different cities and countries to convey the great message to the people. They told people that death should not be feared, since it was defeated by the Son of God. Christ is resurrected and this will happen to everyone who will honor God and treat people well.
Mary Magdalene set out to convey this good news to the ruler of Rome Tiberius. According to the rules that existed at that time, if a poor man came to an appointment with the sovereign and could not give rich gifts, he had to bring at least one egg. Mary presented it to Tiberius and told him about what happened on Easter Sunday.
The emperor grinned at the woman in the face, and said that the deceased was not given to rise again, just as her offering was not given to turn red. Instantly, before Tiberius's eyes, the shell began to turn bloodshot and turned a deep red. Since then, we have been painting eggs for this holiday and giving them, reminding people of the resurrection of the Savior and of his instructions. This version is set forth in the work of Dmitry of Rostov, bishop of the Russian Church and spiritual writer.
Why eggs are painted red for Easter - theory three
One of the assumptions about the origin of this unwritten law is related to Jesus Christ, but has nothing to do with his crucifixion. This version says that Mary, the mother of the son of God, liked to paint the egg shell. Baby Jesus, together with his mother, was engaged in this business, then distributing the resulting Easter eggs to his loved ones and those living in the neighborhood. After his ascension, believers began to repeat this lesson in memory of Christ's happy childhood.
What historians say about why eggs are painted for Easter
Some historians believe that this tradition is not associated with one of the most significant events in Christianity. Scientists associate it with the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. Before the birth of the great ruler of the Roman Empire, one of the hens laid an egg, the shell of which was speckled with red. The people of Rome considered this incident to be an omen of great events for the Empire.
After this incident, the Romans introduced the tradition of dyeing the shell, paying respect in this way to the great ruler. Subsequently, the bearers of the Christian faith adopted this custom, and began to repeat it on Easter, thus honoring their Savior.
Another option suggests that the custom of dyeing eggs for Easter in red originated BC and then was adopted from the followers of paganism. In many pagan cults, eggs were identified with good fertility, and with the onset of a new farming season, people began to decorate them to obtain a rich harvest. With the development of Christianity, this rite was adopted by its carriers, who began to carry it out on Easter.
Some historians believe that the version with Mary Magdalene and Tiberius arose to justify the Christian church, which adopted pagan rituals. Today there are even those clergy who speak out negatively about this custom and try to prohibit it among the parishioners.
Why eggs are painted on Sunday of Christ - the most prosaic version
One of the theories of the origin of this rite has no religious background. Her followers believe that during the period of Great Lent, people ate a lot of eggs. To prevent spoilage, they were boiled and the shells were stained to distinguish them from raw ones.
Color shade values
In addition to the traditional red, other colors are used today for coloring Easter symbols. Each shade used explains something different.
Paint colors and their meanings:
- red - symbolizes eternal life and blood poured out in the name of human salvation;
- green - identifies good health and revitalization of all living things with the arrival of spring;
- brown - a symbol of fertile land and prosperity;
- yellow - a sunny shade means wealth, and also protects from dark forces and temptation;
- orange - absence of longing and despondency, which is a mortal sin;
- blue - personifies heaven and the abode of angels.
It is recommended to use natural dyes for coloring the shell. You can buy them or make them yourself. So, for the traditional shade, cherry or pomegranate juice can be used. Yellow can be obtained by using a decoction of celery seeds, orange - turmeric, brown - strong tea leaves. A beautiful blue color is obtained by placing the eggs in the water where the red cabbage was boiled.
Other dyeing technologies
In addition to dyes in honor of the Lord's Sunday, Easter eggs are made, the implementation of which implies the application of various floral, geometric and other ornaments on the shell. Each of the symbols identifies a particular area of \u200b\u200bhuman life.
The most popular are patterns on the theme of flora, where oak leaves mean strength and good health, flowers - love, berries - motherhood.
The depicted crosses and other Christian signs on the Easter egg represent the universe. The geometric shapes on the shell will attract good luck to the recipient of such an Easter gift. They also paint the shells with images of animals and birds, believing that the owner of such an offering will acquire the best qualities of a painted representative of the fauna. The image of a dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit. An egg with the image of the sun will protect its owner from diseases and the evil eye.
Speckling is another option for dyeing the egg shell. The principle of execution is to apply spots and specks to the base shade. The speckles are a sign of fertility, so it is recommended to give them to those who want to have a child, are engaged in agriculture or raise pets.
Coloring ideas (video)
There are many options for applying patterns to Easter symbols. These can be both ready-made stickers and self-made painting. This video explains in detail how to make interesting ornaments using onion peels.
Easter cake and other attributes of Easter
In addition to the symbol of the Holy Sepulcher and eternal life in it, other significant dishes are prepared for one of the most important holidays for believers. One of these is kulich, which is made from yeast dough. This treat is baked by the hostess on Maundy Thursday. She should be in a good mood and not occupy her mind with bad thoughts. Easter bread baking, like other traditions of this holiday, has its roots in ancient times.
According to an ancient legend, after ascending to heaven, the Son of God often appeared to the apostles while they ate. For this, one of the seats at the table was always free, and in the center of the table was bread for the Savior.
Therefore, over time, they made it a rule to leave bread (artos) in the church on a special table on Holy Sunday.
On Bright Week (the week after Easter), a daily procession was performed around the church with bread, and on Saturday they were divided among the parishioners. Since each family is a small church, the custom of having bread for the Son of God gradually passed on to ordinary people. Believers began to bake tall, rounded dough products, which they began to call cakes, which in Greek means round bread. The presence of such an item on the table means that the ascended Lord has visited this house.
The round shape of the cake is not accidental, since it is believed that the veil in which Jesus was wrapped on his deathbed (shroud) was round. Before his death, the Son of God, together with his disciples, ate only unleavened dough, and after the resurrection - ascended. That is why butter yeast dough is used for baking kulich.
The traditional dishes for this holiday also include a lamb - a symbol of the Lamb of God, which was sacrificed for human sins. In some countries, baked lamb is a staple Easter treat. Various confectionery products are also baked in the form of this animal.
There are many answers to the question of why Easter cakes are baked and eggs are painted. Despite the numerous and contradictory versions about the origin of this tradition, it is sacred to the entire Christian world and for many years the recipes for Easter treats have been passed on in secret from generation to generation.
Hello everybody! This year we have tried to thoroughly prepare for the holiday, not forgetting anything. Unless ... it remains to find out when to paint eggs for Easter 2019. That's exactly what we'll talk about now!
I don’t know about you, but as a child, I loved Easter precisely because of the delicious Easter cake and beautiful dyes. I always helped my mother decorate the eggs, and then walked around with multi-colored hands, but absolutely happy. Then I thought that all this was being done so that we children would have fun. Later, an understanding of the meaning of all folk traditions came.
Having matured a little, I learned that the pre-Easter days are all scheduled:
- In one day, money is counted;
- In the other, bathing and cleaning;
- In the third - peeping will take;
- Of course, there is a place for preparing dishes for the festive menu.
The last point just involves coloring the eggs. Why did you do it? Since the custom was adopted to give and exchange them, it was symbolic, together with the egg, to express wishes for good, happiness and health. And it was the color of the dye that spoke eloquently about this. Each color means something good. Therefore, the preparation of this food should be approached with all responsibility.
Easter in 2019
Naturally, not on the holiday itself, and not at the last moment, you need to do preparatory work. And since the date of Easter this year falls on April 28, Sunday, then during the week, from April 21 to 27 inclusive, you should prepare food.
Traditionally, it is believed that the painting procedure will begin no earlier than the point in the house. This means that after Maundy Thursday, after April 25.
But the same ancient customs say that this cannot be done on Good Friday. This means that the most correct solution is 2 options:
- The first is permissible. Taking into account the fact that life has changed and the pace of life has increased, a lot of things fall on us. And therefore, starting from Monday, the second, you can start culinary concerns (except Friday, April 26).
- The second is by tradition. In order to make dyes, only a few days are allocated during Holy Week. Namely, Thursday evening, 25th, and all Saturday, April 27th, until late evening.
And don't forget to make decorations for the apartment, especially if there are kids in the house.
How can you decorate a house, what crafts to make
Egg color meaning
It is up to you personally to choose which of the options suits you. I wish everything to be in time and look attractive for Easter, and the table to be full of goodies. 
Before you say goodbye, I remind you that you can always subscribe and know about the release of a new article and what topic it is devoted to. Bring friends to the site and be more active yourself, sharing your opinion. All! Bye Bye! And see you soon!
Have you made a postcard for loved ones? Your family will be pleased that you thought of them. Let me remind you that last time I told you how to make an egg-shaped postcard with a cute chicken and flowers. If interested, follow the link
Along with Easter cakes and cottage cheese Easter, colored eggs, which are called dyes and Easter eggs, have become an indispensable attribute of this holiday.
And when, on what day do you need to paint eggs for Easter in 2019? Products for the festive table are consecrated in churches on Saturday from morning until late at night or early on Sunday morning. Accordingly, colored eggs are prepared the day before.
What day should you paint eggs for Easter in 2019?
According to tradition, the dishes of the festive table begin to be prepared on Maundy Thursday, which falls on April 25 in 2019.
You can also do this on Saturday, April 27, 2019. But it is better not to paint eggs on Good Friday, which is not only the most mournful day of Great Lent, but also the most mournful day in the Orthodox calendar.
When should you paint eggs for Easter? This can be done on Saturday morning, given that the churches begin to bless food from 10 o'clock.
And you can later, since it is believed that it is better to bless colored eggs, Easter cakes and Easter on the night of Saturday to Sunday after the church service, which begins at 20.00. At the end of the service, which ends with a procession of the cross, the food is consecrated.
Why do they paint eggs for Easter?
Where did this custom come from? For many peoples, the egg is considered a symbol of life and renewal. Among Christians, the first written mention of colored eggs was found in tenth century manuscripts, which are kept in the library of the monastery of St. Anastasia in Greece.
They say that on the day of the holiday the monks read a prayer for the blessing of eggs, and then the abbot handed them colored eggs with the words: "Christ is Risen."
How did the tradition of painting eggs for Easter come about? Several legends about this have been preserved. According to one of them, the disciple of the Savior, Mary Magdalene, came to the emperor Tiberius with the joyful news that Christ had risen.
But he did not believe her, saying: "It is impossible, like the fact that a white chicken egg turns red." But at the same instant, the egg that Mary brought turned red. The egg is also considered a symbol of the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.
Since ancient times, it has become customary to paint eggs in different colors, but the main one remains red - a symbol of the blood of Jesus, as well as a symbol of vitality and resurrection.
In the old days, after Easter, believers kept painted eggs as charms that protected houses from fires, lightning strikes and other troubles.
Hello, friends. Soon the holiday of great Easter, and what a holiday without multi-colored Easter eggs. Every child knows that on the feast of Christ's Resurrection, they must bake cakes and paint eggs. How many knows why eggs are painted for Easter? They are an important part of the Christian holiday.
Ancient legends - painted eggs for easter
There is a biblical legend that tells where the tradition of painting eggs red came from. It is known from reliable sources that when the miraculous resurrection of Jesus took place, St. Mary Magdalene decided to go to the Roman emperor with the good news. Then all who come to Tiberius are required to bring gifts. They brought all the most valuable. Mary had nothing but faith in the Lord. She decided to present the emperor with a simple chicken egg. With the words: "Christ is Risen" she extended her hands to him with a gift.
Tiberius did not believe the woman and replied that the dead cannot come to life, just as her gift from white does not turn into red. But what was his surprise to see how it turned red before his eyes.
This legend marked the beginning of the Orthodox tradition of painting Easter eggs red as a sign of true faith. Painted testicles are a symbol of the miraculous Resurrection of Christ, the cleansing of the soul and the beginning of a new life. The consecrated were credited with miraculous properties of protection from diseases. They were crumbled on the graves of the dead, remembering them. There is another more common legend.
During Great Lent, Orthodox believers did not eat eggs, and the chickens did not stop laying. To keep them boiled. The eggshells were dyed so as not to be confused with fresh ones. Giving Easter eggs, a method of worship for Christians. If the divine Resurrection of Jesus had not happened, then according to the teaching of the Apostle Paul, the new faith would have been meaningless. Christ was resurrected as the only one born on earth, showing the people Divine power. Church scripture testifies to this.
Easter egg symbolism
The egg was attributed to magical properties even before the era of Christianity. When excavating ancient burials, real eggs are found, and made from all kinds of materials. It is a symbol of purity, the birth of a new life.
The appearance of the Christian symbol came to us from the millennial customs of the religion of the peoples of the whole world. In Orthodoxy, it receives a new semantic meaning. First of all, it becomes a sign of the appearance of Christ in bodily form. A symbol of the great joy of believers. According to Russian legends, during the Resurrection of Christ, the stones on Calvary turned into red eggs.
The first mention of dyed eggs for Easter is found in writings on parchment dating from the 10th century. They are kept in the libraries of the monastery of St. Anastasia. It is located in Greece near Thessaloniki. The manuscript contains a sacred charter, at the end of which it is said: “After the Easter service, read the prayer for the consecration of eggs and cheese. After the consecrated eggs to distribute to the brethren with the words Christ is Risen! ". The hegumen could punish a monk who refused to eat a red testicle on a holiday. Information says that the history of the Easter egg goes back to the time of Mary Magdalene. The ritual of staining has been going on for over 2000 years.
Celebration in Russia
In Russia, Easter began to be celebrated in the 10th century. The holiday is celebrated on the first Sunday after the vernal equinox and the March full moon.
The festivities were accompanied by various pagan rites, but were considered sanctified by God's grace. They baked cakes, cooked homemade cheese, dyed eggs red. Consecrated eggs were placed in a barrel of grain and stored until sowing. It was believed that the harvest would be large. Celebrations in Russia were massive. People rejoiced at everything, life, the onset of spring and warmth. Easter is celebrated in early spring, when nature wakes up, the grass turns green. For the most important Orthodox holiday, they begin to prepare in advance.
In almost all regions of Russia, Easter is considered the most important Orthodox holiday. Great services are held on the night of Great Saturday. People rush to the temple from all the neighborhoods. On this night, all the churches are overflowing with believers. At the end of the service, the priest blesses the food brought in for breaking the fast in the morning, and he himself receives one egg from the parishioners.
In tsarist times in the capital of our country, festive services were held in the Assumption Cathedral. The king was always present there. He added greatness to what was happening. The lieutenant colonels standing at the door watched that beggars did not enter the cathedral. After the prayers, the tsar applied to the holy images that the priests brought him. He presented everyone with colorful eggs, real and wooden, decorated with bright patterns.
In the morning, after the prayer service, the tsar went to the Archangel Cathedral to bow to the ashes of his parents. He listened to a prayer service in the palace church, presented everyone with Easter eggs. Later he went to the cathedral and paid attention to everyone who came up.
Holy Easter is celebrated for three days. In the first, the sovereign drove through the places of detention, said to the condemned "Christ is Risen for you", gave everyone something of clothing and sent food to break the fast. And the queen once fed all the poor.
Painting methods
Let's return from the old Moscow celebrations to our time. How is the great holiday going now? During the singing of the church choir, the parishioners hug each other, kissing each other three times, say: "Christ is Risen," they answer, "Truly He is Risen." Dyed eggs are presented in different colors.
They are called dyes or Easter eggs. Krashenki - cooked and painted, they are a symbol of today. Easter eggs - painted, not boiled, fertilized, are a thing of the past.
There are many options for dyeing testicles. In villages, the method of cooking in onion skins was more often used. The darker the husk, the richer the color. They usually turned out to be burgundy. The method is effective and safe.
Special food colors are now on sale, but they get your hands dirty because they don't eat into the shell. They are used to paint boiled eggs.
The custom of exchanging colored testicles dates back to ancient times. From the history of the Easter egg, it follows that under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, about 37,000 eggs were prepared and distributed for the great holiday. Together with the real ones there were bone, wood, glass, porcelain.
Many superstitions and legends are associated with the custom of christening. It was believed that while pronouncing the greeting "Christ is Risen - Truly Risen", you make a wish, it will come true.
Returning home after vigil, people admire the beauty of the sunrise. It kind of shares the universal joy of resurrection. Children sing songs directed to the sun, the elderly, when combing, thought, as many grandchildren as there are hairs on their heads. Upon returning from the prayer service, the tables were set with various dishes for breaking the fast. The tables were set very richly, like for a wedding.
Earlier on Easter they went from house to house with songs praising the Lord, as at Christmas with carols. They were treated to goodies or given money. Guys usually went.
Easter games
For the holiday there were games with Easter eggs, they were the main entertainment these days. According to the rules of one of them, which exists to this day, a person held a painted testicle in his hand so that a sharp or blunt edge was visible. The second hit him with another egg. Whoever breaks a testicle lost and gave his to the winner.
In another game, "rolling eggs" is necessary from the bumps. According to the rules, you need to roll an egg and hit others with it that lie below. If this succeeded, the person took it for himself.
Ancient customs have survived. Today, on this significant day for all believers, churches are again filled with the prayers of thousands of people. Once destroyed temples are being restored. During Holy Week, families prepare for the holiday, clean the house, paint eggs, bake fragrant cakes.
Painted eggs are one of the main symbols of Easter.In our time, few people think about the meaning of this symbol and the meaning that it carries. In addition, today some Christians completely neglect the observance of Easter traditions, painting eggs in all colors of the rainbow, or even making images of Jesus Christ on them.
Why and why is it customary to paint eggs red for Easter?There are several versions that answer this question.
According to the first version, originally eggs were painted for Easter for purely practical purposes. During Lent, which lasted 40 years, eggs were not allowed. The chickens never stopped laying, and people boiled the eggs to keep them from spoiling. And they painted them so that they could be distinguished from fresh ones.
Second versiondirectly related to the Bible story and explains the symbolism of the red-colored Easter egg. The first Easter egg was presented by Mary Magdalene to Emperor Tiberius. At that time, it was impossible to come to the emperor empty-handed. Mary Magdalene presented an egg to Tiberius after the resurrection of Jesus with the words "Christ is Risen!" The emperor did not believe her words and objected to her, saying that no one can rise from the dead, just as a white egg cannot turn red. At the same moment, the egg in his hands turned red, thereby confirming the words of the Magdalene about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Since then, there has been a tradition to paint eggs for Easter. Initially, the color was only red. Red is a symbol of the shed blood of Christ for the salvation of all mankind. And the egg was considered a symbol of life, the beginning of all that exists. Later, to this day, Easter eggs began to be painted with different colors. The Church does not prohibit dyeing eggs in other colors, but always reminds that every home on Easter should have red eggs as a symbol of the blood of Christ and his resurrection.
It should be noted that with the tradition of painting eggs in different colors, people began to pay special attention to the meaning of colors. Since it is customary to give eggs on Easter, having presented an egg of a certain color, you can wish a person one or another good in life.
What does the color of an Easter egg mean
- White color considered paradise and means purity and spirituality.
- Yellow, gold and orangethe color of the egg is associated with wealth and prosperity.
- Blue the color of eggs is the color of the Mother of God and symbolizes kindness, peace, hope and love for one's neighbor.
- Green Easter eggs signify prosperity and rebirth.
How you can not dye eggs
Today there are many ways to paint eggs for Easter. The most common way is to apply special stickers to the egg and a variety of images and festive symbols. You can buy these stickers before Easter at any supermarket. But is it possible to decorate eggs in this way? The Church does not prohibit the use of such stickers, with the exception of those that depict the faces of saints. After all, after eating an egg, the shell is thrown into the trash can, along with the image of the saint - this is blasphemy.
On the bright holiday of Easter, do not forget to exchange painted eggs with your loved ones and relatives and say the cherished and joyful words "Christ is Risen!" This phrase takes on a special meaning and strength, giving hope, faith and love! Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and
09.04.2015 09:21
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