Why are eggs painted for Easter and what does the Easter egg symbolize? Why and how to paint eggs for Easter

The Easter egg is a symbol of the spring holiday, along with Easter cake and cottage cheese. These bright symbols of the Holy Resurrection of Christ are known to every person since childhood, but perhaps not everyone knows why eggs are painted at Easter.

There are many versions and explanations - starting from a beautiful legend and ending with everyday necessity. will tell you about the most common ones.

Legends, versions, assumptions

The egg symbolizes life, rebirth, and the tradition of painting eggs for Easter goes back to ancient times. The first mention of colored eggs is found in a 10th-century manuscript found in the library of the Greek monastery of St. Anastasia.

According to the manuscript, after the service on Easter, the abbot distributed blessed eggs to the brethren with the words: “Christ is Risen!”

But the answer to the question of when and why they began to paint eggs is still shrouded in mystery.

Legend has it that Mary Magdalene presented the first Easter egg to the Roman Emperor Tiberius to announce the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ.

According to ancient custom, gifts were presented to the emperor, and Mary Magdalene brought Tiberius a chicken egg as a gift with the words: “Christ is Risen!” However, Tiberius did not believe her words, objecting that no one can be resurrected, just as a white egg cannot turn red.

And as soon as the last word left his lips, a miracle happened - the chicken egg brought by Maria turned completely red. The color red symbolizes the blood shed on the cross by Jesus.

According to another legend, the tradition of painting eggs was started by the Virgin Mary, who painted eggs to entertain Jesus Christ when he was still a baby.

It has long been believed that the blessed Easter egg should be the first meal after a 40-day fast. Therefore, one of the simple and vital explanations also has a right to exist.

In particular, during Lent, believers limit their food intake and do not consume meat and dairy products. This fact did not affect the hens, and they continued to lay eggs out of habit. To protect eggs from spoilage, they were boiled, and various dyes were added during cooking in order to subsequently distinguish a boiled egg from a raw one.

There is also an assumption that the custom of dyeing eggs for Easter is associated with the pre-Christian celebration of spring. For many peoples, the egg was the personification of life-giving power, therefore, in the customs and beliefs of the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, the egg was a symbol of birth and rebirth.

Perhaps the tradition of painting eggs for Easter appeared and became established as a combination of several of the above versions. But in any case, a painted Easter egg is very beautiful, useful, and is an integral part of the holiday.

Originally the color was only red, symbolizing the blood of Christ. And the most common dyes for coloring eggs were naturally easily accessible, such as onion peels, cherry bark, beets, and so on.

In Georgia, eggs have long been dyed with the roots of the medicinal plant Madder (Rubia tinctorum), which is popularly called “endro”.

Over time, eggs began to be painted in other colors, using natural or food dyes. And chicken eggs began to be replaced with wooden, chocolate or made of precious metals and stones.

The color of the egg depends on what it is painted with, and the color itself also matters: red is a royal color, reminiscent of God’s love for the human race, and blue is the color of the Blessed Virgin, it is associated with kindness, hope, and love for one’s neighbor.

White is a heavenly color and symbolizes purity and spirituality, while yellow, like orange and gold, symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Green, a fusion of blue and yellow, signifies prosperity and rebirth.

Multi-colored and painted eggs give a cheerful mood and are the basis of Easter games. Everyone loves to play games related to Easter eggs, especially children. The most famous games are egg rolling and egg beating.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

Easter in 2018 falls on April 8th. On this day, Orthodox believers will give each other decorated eggs. Read what the Easter egg symbolizes and where this tradition came from in our Questions and Answers section.

Why do we paint an Easter egg?

In Christianity, this tradition is a sacred symbol of the sacrament, and every bearer of faith must observe it. In the code of church laws from the 13th century, it was said that the abbot could punish the monk who did not eat a colored egg on Easter Sunday, since in this way he cast doubt on the apostolic traditions and did not honor the Son of God.

One of the hypotheses for coloring eggs for Easter is associated with Mary Magdalene. So, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Mary decided to convey this good news to Emperor Tiberius himself. It was impossible to go to the emperor without gifts, and she had nothing; she took a chicken egg with her as a symbolic gift. She chose a chicken egg, as it always symbolized life, a new stage in development. And when Mary told the emperor that Jesus Christ had risen, the emperor laughed hard and said: “This is as impossible as your white egg turning into red.” Immediately after his words, the chicken egg brought by Maria turned red. The color red symbolizes the blood shed on the cross by Jesus.

Another version of Easter egg coloring says that the Virgin Mary painted eggs to entertain Jesus Christ when he was still a baby.

One of the vital and interesting versions of eating and coloring eggs is very simple. During fasting, believers greatly limit themselves in food, and to prevent eggs from being spoiled, they were boiled after forty days of fasting. In order to distinguish a boiled egg from a raw one and not accidentally eat a slightly spoiled one, it was colored during cooking by adding a variety of dyes.

Some historians believe that this tradition is not connected 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 painted with red specks. The inhabitants of Rome considered this incident an omen of great events for the empire.

What does the Easter egg mean?

In Christianity, the Easter egg is a symbol of the Holy Sepulcher, in which eternal life was hidden. In Palestine, tombs were built in caves, and the entrance was closed with a stone, which was rolled away when the deceased was to be laid down. Tradition says that the stone with which the tomb of Jesus Christ was closed resembled an egg in outline. We know that under the shell of an egg lies new life. Therefore, for Christians, the Easter egg is a reminder of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, salvation and eternal life. The red color that eggs are most often painted in represents the suffering and blood of Christ.

What does the color of the egg mean?

red symbolizes eternal life and shed blood 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 against dark forces and temptation.

orange– absence of melancholy and despondency, which is a mortal sin.

blue personifies heaven and the abode of angels.

It is also customary for Catholics to paint and give eggs for Easter. In the Catholic tradition, it is customary to give not only painted chicken eggs, but also chocolate ones.

There are many versions and explanations - from a beautiful legend to everyday necessity, notes Sputnik Georgia.

Legends, versions, assumptions

According to the manuscript, after the service on Easter, the abbot distributed blessed eggs to the brethren with the words: “Christ is Risen!”

But the answer to the question of when and why they began to paint eggs is still shrouded in mystery.

Legend has it that Mary Magdalene presented the first Easter egg to the Roman Emperor Tiberius to announce the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And as soon as the last word left his lips, a miracle happened - the chicken egg brought by Maria turned completely red. The color red symbolizes the blood shed on the cross by Jesus.

According to another legend, the tradition of painting eggs was started by the Virgin Mary, who painted eggs to entertain Jesus Christ when he was still a baby.

It has long been believed that the blessed Easter egg should be the first meal after a 40-day fast. Therefore, one of the simple and vital explanations also has a right to exist.

Originally the color was only red, symbolizing the blood of Christ. And the most common dyes for coloring eggs were naturally easily accessible, such as onion peels, cherry bark, beets, and so on.

In Georgia, eggs have long been dyed with the roots of the medicinal plant Madder (Rubia tinctorum), which is popularly called “endro”.

Over time, eggs began to be painted in other colors, using natural or food dyes. And chicken eggs began to be replaced with wooden, chocolate or made of precious metals and stones.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

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Today it is impossible to imagine the bright holiday of Easter without traditional Easter cakes with sweet powder and colored eggs. They are the ones who need to be dedicated to the church and be the first to partake and break the fast after Great and Strict Lent.

But few people know where the tradition of dyeing eggs for Easter came from and why they chose this particular product among many other options. Today, instead of traditional colored eggs, you can see them in special stickers, which children love. After all, the egg is in pictures from all sides, which the child loves to look at for a long time. It would be nice to tell your child where the tradition of painting and consecrating eggs came from, and to find out about it yourself.

Easter traditions: why did you choose the egg?

There are a huge number of opinions about when they started painting eggs for Easter and who introduced this custom. Among them there are Christian versions, as well as pagan and even quite everyday ones. For example, in ancient times, so that eggs did not disappear during the 40-day Great and Strict Lent, they were boiled. But in order not to confuse them with raw ones, they were colored in onion skins or any other natural dye. After which, such eggs could easily be stored for a long period of time.

According to legend, Mary Magdalene, who is highly revered in the Christian faith, having learned about the resurrection of Christ, decided to convey this good news to Tiberius, the Roman emperor. In those days, it was customary to come to the emperor with a gift, but having nothing but an egg, the saint presented it as a gift. At Mary’s words, the emperor just burst out laughing and said that it was easier for this egg to turn red than for Christ to escape from the shackles of death. As soon as he said these words, the egg immediately turned red, so people began to paint eggs red, which is interpreted as a sign and proof that Christ conquered death.

There is also a legend that speaks of the Jews gathering for a meal after the execution of Jesus Christ. At the table, one of the Jews reminded the table diners that in exactly 3 days, Christ must rise again. But the other only laughed at these words and, in turn, objected that this would happen before the cooked chicken lying in front of them came to life and the boiled eggs on the table turned red. In a moment, the eggs turned scarlet, and the chicken turned from fried to alive.

The third version says that even in infancy, Christ played with eggs that the Virgin Mary herself painted for him as toys.

The Easter egg in Rus' has always had great meaning, since life was born in it. After the consecration, it was laid out on overgrown oats, wheat or lettuce leaves, which were specially grown for this purpose. Throughout the entire Easter week (week), it was customary to give such eggs to each other, go on a visit with them and put them on the festive table.

The blessed eggs were kept for a whole year, until next Easter, and they never spoiled. In Optina Hermitage there was a monk who, among two others, was killed on Easter. Every Easter he broke his fast with last year's egg, as proof that Christ was indeed Risen!

Why are eggs painted red for Easter and how to do it?

There are a large number of ways to color eggs, both artificial and natural dyes. Eggs that had one color were called dyed eggs or galunkas. In order to give the egg a natural red tint, you must use peeled onion peels, which our grandmothers used to paint eggs. To obtain a different color, it was necessary to use a variety of decoctions from the corresponding plants.

Today you can buy a huge number of dyes that can give eggs a variety of colors. But you shouldn’t get too carried away with them, because all artificial colors can have a negative impact on the well-being of your loved ones, especially children. If you want to somehow diversify your Easter basket, you should pay attention to special stickers for eggs, which have become very popular in recent years. But the most traditional Easter egg is the boiled red one.

Why did this particular color become traditional and not some other? The fact is that it is the red color that symbolizes the blood of the Savior, who suffered for our sins and was crucified on the cross. By coloring the eggs red, we honor his memory.

To give the egg a traditional red color, you need to take onion peels from 5-6 large or medium-sized onions, place them in a container of water and boil along with the eggs for 7-8 minutes. Onion peels will not only give the eggs a beautiful red tint, covering them evenly on all sides, but will also strengthen the shell. That is why, when coloring eggs with natural dyes, you will rarely see cracked shells or leaked whites.

To give the egg a different shade, such as purple, make beetroot broth.

You need to chop the beets (you can cut them into cubes), place them in a container with water and put raw eggs there so that the water barely covers them. Also boil for 7-8 minutes and remove to cool completely.

For a blue tint, you need to boil the cabbage, but only the red color. We do everything exactly the same as with beets. Only chopped cabbage needs to be boiled until it turns completely white. So she will give her natural colors to the water, which will color the eggs in the color we need.

What day is it customary to paint eggs for Easter?

Housewives always prepare in advance for the bright holiday of Easter. General cleaning of the house is carried out, all the accumulated rubbish for the year is thrown out, everything is washed and ironed. Since Easter always takes place in the spring, it is also a period of renewal and new hopes. On this holiday, you can always feel some special joyful and bright spirit that lights up people’s eyes in a new way.

The last week of Great Lent is the most strict. And all the main preparations fall on Maundy Thursday. It is on this day that it is customary to wash your face with the first rays of the rising sun, bake Easter cakes and paint eggs. On Good Friday, Orthodox Christians abstained from food, fervently prayed to the Lord and did not do any housework, devoting all their free time to prayer.

After the consecration of Easter, the first thing when arriving home was the festive meal. People broke their fast with a blessed Easter cake and an egg. There is a game where people took eggs and smashed them against each other. Anyone whose egg remained intact could count on a good year. Such games remain especially popular among children.

As you prepare for the holiday of Easter, remember that your thoughts should remain pure and joyful. You need to think not only about the festive table, but also take care of your soul and once again pray for yourself and your loved ones. After all, everyone is rewarded according to his faith.

Christ is risen!

How to paint eggs for Easter

Easter history and traditions

It dates back almost two thousand years. Now it is no longer possible to determine for certain why decoration became so widespread in the Christian world. There are many legends that explain Not all interpretations are directly related to the Resurrection of Christ and to Christianity in general. Most of them date back to pagan times, when the egg was considered a symbol of fertility. With the arrival of spring, in ancient times they began to paint eggs, decorate them in all possible ways in order to appease the gods and grow a good harvest.

But there are many Christian legends that tell about the beginning of this centuries-old tradition. The most common legend is about Mary Magdalene, who brought a chicken egg to Emperor Tiberius after the resurrection of Jesus. He did not believe her story about the Resurrection, saying that such a thing would become possible if the egg she brought turned red. This was immediately fulfilled, and red has since become the traditional color for decorating Easter eggs.

According to another legend, red Easter eggs are the blood of the crucified Christ, and the beautiful patterns on them are the tears of the Mother of God. After the death of the Lord, believers preserved every drop of his blood that fell, which became hard as stone. When he was resurrected, they began to pass them on to each other with the joyful news “Christ is risen!”

The third version tells about the childhood of Jesus Christ, who loved to play with chickens. Our Lady painted their eggs and gave them to him instead of toys. She came to him with a plea for mercy with an offering of painted eggs. But they fell out of her apron and rolled around the world.

There are legends that are not at all related to religion. For example, one of them tells that on the birthday of Marcus Aurelius, a hen laid an egg with red spots. This event foreshadowed the birth of the future emperor. Since then, the Romans began the custom of painting eggs and sending them to each other as gifts. Christians adopted this tradition, putting their own meaning into it.

There is also a more practical explanation. During Lent, it is forbidden to eat animal food, including eggs. But the chickens continue to lay eggs. To prevent eggs from spoiling longer, they were boiled. And to distinguish boiled eggs from raw ones, they were colored.

Be that as it may, the tradition of painting eggs has survived to this day, bringing the whole family together for this activity. Many customs, rituals and beliefs among Christians are associated with already colored eggs. Mystical properties were even attributed to the blessed Easter egg. It was believed that it could put out a fire, prevent diseases of livestock and make their fur smooth, bring back a loved one, save them from theft, drive them out of the house. Having dipped dye into the water, the girls washed themselves with this water to preserve youth and beauty. Easter egg shells were scattered across the field to ensure a good harvest.

It is unlikely that anyone will be able to accurately prove or disprove the miraculous power of Easter eggs, but some ancient traditions have reached us. Until now, children's favorite pastime during Easter week is rolling colored eggs down the slide. The Easter meal begins with them, and friends and acquaintances are given the most beautiful eggs with the good news “Christ is risen!”