| End Time Warriors |
Easter
Proverbs 8:12-13
12) I, wisdom, dwell together with
prudence; I possess knowledge and
discretion. 13) To fear the Lord is to
hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech
12) I, wisdom, dwell together with
prudence; I possess knowledge and
discretion. 13) To fear the Lord is to
hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech
Easter
Many Feasts in the Catholic calendar, usually celebrations of events in the lives of
Jesus or Mary. (These Feasts may or may not be celebrated by other Christian
denominations.)
For years before 1583, only the dates of Christmas and Easter are calculated. (They are
the same for both traditions pre-1583.) My recent research has shown that the above
method for calculating Easter prior to AD1583 was not in wide use until the mid-eighth
century, although it had been adopted by the Church in the mid-sixth century.
An important note for historians and people using these dates for research: Even though
the Gregorian calendar was adopted into use by the Catholic Church and many Catholic
areas of Europe in October, 1582, many areas did not adopt the Gregorian Calendar,
the new method of determining Easter, or both, until later. For example, England and its
dominions did not accept the Gregorian Calendar or the new method of determining
Easter until 1752; thus, Easter in England prior to 1753 was determined using the same
algorithm as that of the Orthodox Church.
History
Prior to AD 325, churches in different regions celebrated Easter on different dates, not
always on Sundays. The Council of Nicea (AD 325) clarified this a bit by stating that
Easter would be celebrated on Sundays. Still a number of methods were used until a
method defined by Dionyisius Exiguus was adopted in about (AD 532). This was not
widely accepted until it was described and defended by the Venerable Bede in his De
temporum ratione (AD 725).
Aloisius Lilius (d. 1576) devised the system that would become the basis of the
Gregorian Calendar, as well as the tables that would be used to determine the date of
Easter. Christoph Clavius modified the tables slightly, and was one of the prime
defenders of the Gregorian calendar. The tables used to determine the date of Easter
(in the West) since AD 1583 are these modified tables of Clavius. All algorithms for
calculating the date of Easter since then are based on these tables.
Easter is the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full Moon may occur
from March 21 through April 18, inclusive. Thus the date of Easter is from March 22
through April 25, inclusive. The date of the Paschal full moon is determined from tables,
and it may differ from the date of the actual full moon by up to two days. This definition,
along with tables, etc. may be found in "The Explanatory Supplement to the
Astronomical Ephemeris and American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac". This definition
that uses tables instead of actual observations of the full moon is useful and necessary
since the full moon may occur on different dates depending where you are in the world.
If the date of Easter was based on local observations, then it would be possible for
different parts of the world to celebrate Easter on different dates in the same year.
To further confuse the issue, many countries did not start using the Gregorian calendar
in October 1582, so Easter in those countries was celebrated at times different than is
listed here UNTIL they began using the Gregorian calendar. And some countries that
switched to the Gregorian calendar used a different definition of Easter for some time
(parts of Germany and Sweden used tables based on the observations of Tycho Brahe
to determine Easter for many years after the Gregorian calendar was adopted in those
locations).
An interesting upshot of the algorithm is that the cycle of Easter dates (in the Gregorian
Calendar) repeats every 5,700,000 years - and no sooner!
Origin of Easter - A Christian Commemoration
The origin of Easter, a holiday associated with the observance of the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, is actually based on an ancient pagan celebration. Christians recognize
this day as commemorating the culminating event of their faith, but like so many other
"Christian" holidays, Easter has become commercialized and mixed with non-Christian
traditions like the Easter Bunny, Easter parades and hunting for Easter eggs. How did
this happen?
Origin of Easter - Its Pagan Roots
The origin of Easter dates back to ancient times, not long after the global Flood
recorded in [Genesis 6-9] of the Bible. Nimrod, a grandson of Noah, had turned from
following his grandfather's God and had become a tyrannical ruler. According to the
biblical record, as king, Nimrod created Babel, Nineveh, Asshur, Calla and other cities,
all known for lifestyles that promoted unspeakable evil and perversion. When Nimrod
died, his wife, Queen Semiramis, deified him as the Sun-god, or Life Giver. Later he
would become known as Baal, and those who followed the religion Semiramis created in
his name would be called Baal worshippers. They became associated with idolatry,
demon worship, human sacrifice and other practices regarded as evil.
The origin of Easter involves the birth of Semiramis' illegitimate son, Tammuz.
Somehow, Semiramis convinced the people that Tammuz was actually Nimrod reborn.
Since people had been looking for the promised savior since the beginning of mankind
[see Genesis 3:15], they were persuaded by Semiramis to believe that Tammuz was that
savior, even that he had been supernaturally conceived. Before long, in addition to
worshipping Tammuz (or Nimrod reborn), the people also worshipped Semiramis herself
as the goddess of fertility. In other cultures, she has been called Ishtar, Ashtur and yes,
Easter.
The origin of Easter goes back to the springtime ritual instituted by Semiramis following
the death of Tammuz, who, according to tradition, was killed by a wild boar. Legend has
it that through the power of his mother's tears, Tammuz was "resurrected" in the form of
the new vegetation that appeared on the earth.
According to the Bible, it was in the city of Babel that the people created a tower in order
to defy God. Up until that time, all the people on the earth spoke one language. The
building of the tower led God, as recorded in [Genesis 11:7], to confuse their tongues
to keep them from being further unified in their false beliefs. As the people moved into
other lands, many of them took their pagan practices with them.
Contemporary traditions such as the Easter Bunny and the Easter egg can also be
traced back to the practices established by Semiramis. Because of their prolific nature,
rabbits have long been associated with fertility and its goddess, Ishtar. Ancient
Babylonians believed in a fable about an egg that fell into the Euphrates River from
heaven and from which Queen Astarte (another name for Ishtar or Semiramis) was
"hatched."
Origin of Easter - Resurrection Day for Christians
For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus
Christ about 2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true
Messiah promised in the Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the
Jewish Passover. Since that awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is
their Messiah have honored that day and often celebrated it with the traditional
Passover. As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout non-Jewish nations, among people
who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites of Easter
gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called "Resurrection Day."
Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the
nation of Israel itself. Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as
a pagan holiday by the nation's founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely
observed until just after the Civil War. Those interested in a Christian view of American
history and the gradual compromise of America's Biblical foundations may wish to read
books such as The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel.
Easter Egg Tradition
For centuries, it has been the custom of many Christians to share dyed and painted
eggs, particularly on Easter Sunday. The eggs represent new life, and Christ bursting
forth from the tomb. Among Eastern Orthodox Christians (including Bulgarian, Greek,
Lebanese, Macedonian, Russian, Romanian, Serbian and Ukrainian) this sharing is
accompanied by the proclamation "Christ is risen!" (in Greek "Christos anesti") and the
response "Truly He is risen!"(in Greek - "Alithos anesti").
One tradition concerning Mary Magdalene says that following the death and resurrection
of Jesus, she used her position to gain an invitation to a banquet given by Emperor
Tiberius. When she met him, she held a plain egg in her hand and exclaimed "Christ is
risen!" Caesar laughed, and said that Christ rising from the dead was as likely as the
egg in her hand turning red while she held it. Before he finished speaking, the egg in her
hand turned a bright red, and she continued proclaiming the Gospel to the entire
imperial house.
Another version of this story can be found in popular belief, mostly in Greece. It is
believed that after the Crucifixion, Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary put a basket full
of eggs at the foot of the cross. There, the eggs were painted red by the blood of the
Christ. Then, Mary Magdalene brought them to Tiberius Caesar (see above).
Many Feasts in the Catholic calendar, usually celebrations of events in the lives of
Jesus or Mary. (These Feasts may or may not be celebrated by other Christian
denominations.)
For years before 1583, only the dates of Christmas and Easter are calculated. (They are
the same for both traditions pre-1583.) My recent research has shown that the above
method for calculating Easter prior to AD1583 was not in wide use until the mid-eighth
century, although it had been adopted by the Church in the mid-sixth century.
An important note for historians and people using these dates for research: Even though
the Gregorian calendar was adopted into use by the Catholic Church and many Catholic
areas of Europe in October, 1582, many areas did not adopt the Gregorian Calendar,
the new method of determining Easter, or both, until later. For example, England and its
dominions did not accept the Gregorian Calendar or the new method of determining
Easter until 1752; thus, Easter in England prior to 1753 was determined using the same
algorithm as that of the Orthodox Church.
History
Prior to AD 325, churches in different regions celebrated Easter on different dates, not
always on Sundays. The Council of Nicea (AD 325) clarified this a bit by stating that
Easter would be celebrated on Sundays. Still a number of methods were used until a
method defined by Dionyisius Exiguus was adopted in about (AD 532). This was not
widely accepted until it was described and defended by the Venerable Bede in his De
temporum ratione (AD 725).
Aloisius Lilius (d. 1576) devised the system that would become the basis of the
Gregorian Calendar, as well as the tables that would be used to determine the date of
Easter. Christoph Clavius modified the tables slightly, and was one of the prime
defenders of the Gregorian calendar. The tables used to determine the date of Easter
(in the West) since AD 1583 are these modified tables of Clavius. All algorithms for
calculating the date of Easter since then are based on these tables.
Easter is the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full Moon may occur
from March 21 through April 18, inclusive. Thus the date of Easter is from March 22
through April 25, inclusive. The date of the Paschal full moon is determined from tables,
and it may differ from the date of the actual full moon by up to two days. This definition,
along with tables, etc. may be found in "The Explanatory Supplement to the
Astronomical Ephemeris and American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac". This definition
that uses tables instead of actual observations of the full moon is useful and necessary
since the full moon may occur on different dates depending where you are in the world.
If the date of Easter was based on local observations, then it would be possible for
different parts of the world to celebrate Easter on different dates in the same year.
To further confuse the issue, many countries did not start using the Gregorian calendar
in October 1582, so Easter in those countries was celebrated at times different than is
listed here UNTIL they began using the Gregorian calendar. And some countries that
switched to the Gregorian calendar used a different definition of Easter for some time
(parts of Germany and Sweden used tables based on the observations of Tycho Brahe
to determine Easter for many years after the Gregorian calendar was adopted in those
locations).
An interesting upshot of the algorithm is that the cycle of Easter dates (in the Gregorian
Calendar) repeats every 5,700,000 years - and no sooner!
Origin of Easter - A Christian Commemoration
The origin of Easter, a holiday associated with the observance of the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, is actually based on an ancient pagan celebration. Christians recognize
this day as commemorating the culminating event of their faith, but like so many other
"Christian" holidays, Easter has become commercialized and mixed with non-Christian
traditions like the Easter Bunny, Easter parades and hunting for Easter eggs. How did
this happen?
Origin of Easter - Its Pagan Roots
The origin of Easter dates back to ancient times, not long after the global Flood
recorded in [Genesis 6-9] of the Bible. Nimrod, a grandson of Noah, had turned from
following his grandfather's God and had become a tyrannical ruler. According to the
biblical record, as king, Nimrod created Babel, Nineveh, Asshur, Calla and other cities,
all known for lifestyles that promoted unspeakable evil and perversion. When Nimrod
died, his wife, Queen Semiramis, deified him as the Sun-god, or Life Giver. Later he
would become known as Baal, and those who followed the religion Semiramis created in
his name would be called Baal worshippers. They became associated with idolatry,
demon worship, human sacrifice and other practices regarded as evil.
The origin of Easter involves the birth of Semiramis' illegitimate son, Tammuz.
Somehow, Semiramis convinced the people that Tammuz was actually Nimrod reborn.
Since people had been looking for the promised savior since the beginning of mankind
[see Genesis 3:15], they were persuaded by Semiramis to believe that Tammuz was that
savior, even that he had been supernaturally conceived. Before long, in addition to
worshipping Tammuz (or Nimrod reborn), the people also worshipped Semiramis herself
as the goddess of fertility. In other cultures, she has been called Ishtar, Ashtur and yes,
Easter.
The origin of Easter goes back to the springtime ritual instituted by Semiramis following
the death of Tammuz, who, according to tradition, was killed by a wild boar. Legend has
it that through the power of his mother's tears, Tammuz was "resurrected" in the form of
the new vegetation that appeared on the earth.
According to the Bible, it was in the city of Babel that the people created a tower in order
to defy God. Up until that time, all the people on the earth spoke one language. The
building of the tower led God, as recorded in [Genesis 11:7], to confuse their tongues
to keep them from being further unified in their false beliefs. As the people moved into
other lands, many of them took their pagan practices with them.
Contemporary traditions such as the Easter Bunny and the Easter egg can also be
traced back to the practices established by Semiramis. Because of their prolific nature,
rabbits have long been associated with fertility and its goddess, Ishtar. Ancient
Babylonians believed in a fable about an egg that fell into the Euphrates River from
heaven and from which Queen Astarte (another name for Ishtar or Semiramis) was
"hatched."
Origin of Easter - Resurrection Day for Christians
For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus
Christ about 2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true
Messiah promised in the Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the
Jewish Passover. Since that awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is
their Messiah have honored that day and often celebrated it with the traditional
Passover. As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout non-Jewish nations, among people
who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites of Easter
gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called "Resurrection Day."
Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the
nation of Israel itself. Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as
a pagan holiday by the nation's founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely
observed until just after the Civil War. Those interested in a Christian view of American
history and the gradual compromise of America's Biblical foundations may wish to read
books such as The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel.
Easter Egg Tradition
For centuries, it has been the custom of many Christians to share dyed and painted
eggs, particularly on Easter Sunday. The eggs represent new life, and Christ bursting
forth from the tomb. Among Eastern Orthodox Christians (including Bulgarian, Greek,
Lebanese, Macedonian, Russian, Romanian, Serbian and Ukrainian) this sharing is
accompanied by the proclamation "Christ is risen!" (in Greek "Christos anesti") and the
response "Truly He is risen!"(in Greek - "Alithos anesti").
One tradition concerning Mary Magdalene says that following the death and resurrection
of Jesus, she used her position to gain an invitation to a banquet given by Emperor
Tiberius. When she met him, she held a plain egg in her hand and exclaimed "Christ is
risen!" Caesar laughed, and said that Christ rising from the dead was as likely as the
egg in her hand turning red while she held it. Before he finished speaking, the egg in her
hand turned a bright red, and she continued proclaiming the Gospel to the entire
imperial house.
Another version of this story can be found in popular belief, mostly in Greece. It is
believed that after the Crucifixion, Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary put a basket full
of eggs at the foot of the cross. There, the eggs were painted red by the blood of the
Christ. Then, Mary Magdalene brought them to Tiberius Caesar (see above).