In celebration of
Easter, I've done a tidbit of research on the
easter egg. The true one, not the
easter eggs you find within
computer programs.
Used by
Christians, the egg is thought of to best symbolize the
rebirth of
Jesus Christ. Other cultures, such as the
ancient Greeks,
Persians, and the
Chinese use an egg in their
spring festivals.
Some
pagans also have used the
easter egg, where they believe the
Heaven and Earth were believed to have formed the two halves of an
egg. In
pagan mythology, a
Sun-Bird is believed to have hatched from the
World Egg.
Even as early as the
Middle Ages, eggs were colored and given as gifts.
Edward I's accounts in
1290 include the expense of purchasing hundreds of eggs to be distributed to his household.
In the
17th Century,
Pope Paul V blessed the
egg in a prayer to be used in
England,
Ireland and
Scotland: "Bless, O Lord, we beseech Thee, this Thy creature of eggs, that it may become a wholesome sustenance to Thy faithful servants, eating in thankfulness to Thee, on account of the Resurrection of Our Lord."