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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, is this weekend. It celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion and it is probably the oldest Christian observance after the Sabbath. And you might be surprised to learn that it doesn't have anything to do with colored eggs or bunny rabbits.



Today's Random Fact:

Persians first began using colored eggs to celebrate spring in 3,000 B.C. 13th century Macedonians were the first Christians on record to use colored eggs in Easter celebrations. Crusaders returning from the Middle East spread the custom of coloring eggs, and Europeans began to use them to celebrate Easter and other warm weather holidays.

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Bonus Fact:

The origin of the Easter Bunny can be traced back to 13th-century, pre-Christian Germany. The Teutonic deity Eostra was the goddess of spring and fertility, and feasts were held in her honor on the Vernal Equinox. Her symbol was the rabbit because of the animal's high reproduction rate.

These legends were brought to America in the 1700s, when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country.