Among the best known Christian dates is Easter, when Christianity celebrates the consummation of the sacrifice of God incarnate in man for the salvation of humanity. According to Christianity, with the death of Jesus and his resurrection on the third day, the victory of light over darkness would be consummated, which suggests that Easter is a time of renewal and rebirth, of celebration in the name of hope.
However, despite its importance for Christians, it is a date of origin that is still widely discussed among specialists, but which, in general lines, there seems to be a consensus as to its importance for the Jewish people since the times of the end of the diaspora (flight from Egypt when they were slaves). Apparently, the word Easter comes from the noun weigh you and the verb pasah (from the same verb root) means to go over, to jump over, as theologian Tércio Machado Siqueira points out. Thus, Passover would be the Jewish celebration for having gone through slavery and reached the promised land, as seen in the Passover quotes in the Old Testament texts. Therefore, what is understood is that the date was incorporated into Christianity by the fact that the crucifixion of Jesus took place in the Easter period.
Furthermore, there would be a certain relationship in terms of the significance and sublimation of this date for both religions (Christianity and Judaism), since Easter would always be linked to the idea of redemption and passage, whether by the successful escape from Egypt by the Hebrews, or by the resurrection of Christ. In any case, it is also necessary to consider that these markings on the calendars of the first social organizations that have news (such as those that lived in the Middle East, for example) were intended to indicate the important periods for agricultural production, such as the beginning of the Spring. For Christianity, but specifically for the Catholic Church, Easter is also the marking of the end of Lent, a period that begins with Ash Wednesday, in which a greater constriction and reflection on the part of the faithful is proposed, alluding to the period when Christ would have remained in the desert for forty days and forty nights.
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However, if Easter from a Christian point of view is seen as the time for reflection on rebirth, this would help think why the rabbit and egg figures are present in this context: both refer to the idea of fertility, of birth. As it is known, among some cultures it was common to give gifts of eggs decorated by hand, which later became another commodity to be exploited by the capitalist logic. French confectioners, according to what is known in the 18th century, launched the first chocolate eggs, which today ended up with usurp the meaning of Easter, much more remembered for such treats than for its religious meaning among people so general. Indeed, with the development of capitalism, as is well known, the commodification of all spheres of life was a direct consequence. Even the most traditional symbols of popular cultures thus became products, things from the world of consumption, and thus burying their primary meanings.
Thus, the meanings of Easter for Western culture have been shaped over time, but it seems, each time (as well as other dates and others symbols) is further from the origins, emptying itself in terms of mythological, religious meanings, being confused with a commercial date for exploration of a product. In this case, chocolate.
Paulo Silvino Ribeiro
Brazil School Collaborator
Bachelor in Social Sciences from UNICAMP - State University of Campinas
Master in Sociology from UNESP - São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"
Doctoral Student in Sociology at UNICAMP - State University of Campinas
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
RIBEIRO, Paulo Silvino. "The meaning of Easter: can our daily chocolate give us today?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/sociologia/o-sentido-pascoa-chocolate-nosso-cada-dia-nos-dai-hoje.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
