One object in arranging the calendar moon was, that E. might never fall on the same day as the Jewish Passover. They did occur together, however, in 1805, on the 14th of April; and in on the 3d April; and will do so again in 1903, on the 12th April; in 1923, on the 1st April; in 1927, on the 17th April; and in 1981, on the 19th April. The Jewish festival usually occurs in Passion week, and never before the 26th of Mar., or after the 25th of April (new style). On the other hand, the Christian festival is never before the 22d of Mar., or after the 25th of April. In 1761 and 1818, E. fell on the 22d of Mar. ; but neither in this nor the following century will such be the case again. In 1913, it will fall on the 23d of Mar., as it did in 1845 and 1856. The latest Easters in this century and the following, occur in 1886 and 1943, on the 25th of April. In 1848, E. fell on the 23d of, and in 1859, on the 24th of April.
Popular Observances.—Many of the popular observances connected with E. are clearly of pagan origin. The goddess Ostara or Eastre seems to have been the personification of the morning or east (q.v.), and also of the opening year or spring. The Anglo-Saxon name of April was Estormonath; and it is still known in Germany as Ostermonath. The worship of this being seems to have struck deep root in northern Germany, and was brought into England by the Saxons. It continued to be celebrated in many parts in the n. of Germany down to the beginning of the present century, by the kindling of bonfires and numerous other rites. See BELTEIN. Like the May observances of Eng land, it was especially a festival of joy. With her usual policy, the church endeavored to give a Christian significance to such of the the rites as could not be rooted out; and in this case, the conversion was particularly easy. Joy at the rising of the natural sun,
and at the awaking of nature from the death of winter, became joy at the rising of the Sun of Righteousness—at the resurrection of Christ from the grave. The bonfires can be traced in the great " paschal tapers," sometimes weighing 300 lbs., with which the churches were lighted on E. eve. In the ancient church disbursements of St. Mary-at Hill, in the city of London, there is even an entry "For a quarter of coles for the hal lowed fire on Easter eve, 6d." The most characteristic E. rite, and the one most widely diffused, is the use of Pasch (i.e., Easter) eggs. They arc usually stained of various colors with dye-woods or herbs, and people mutually make presents of them; sometimes they are kept as amulets, sometimes eaten; games are also played by striking them against one another. In some moorland parts of Scotland, it used to be the custom for young people to go out early on " Pasch Sunday" and search for wild-fowls' eggs for breakfast, and it was thought lucky to find them. There can be little doubt that the use of eggs at this season was originally sym bolical of the revivification of nature—the springing forth of life in spring. The prac tice is not confined to Christians; the Jews used eggs in the feast of the Passover; and we are told that the Persians, when they keep the festival of the solar new year (in Mar.), mutually present each other with colored eggs.
From the Christian point of view. this " feast of eggs" has been usually considered as emblematic of the resurrection and of a future life.