Real History of Easter Origins: From Pagan Roots to Modern Traditions

Easter Origins – A Look at the Name and Traditions

I’ve searched quite a bit for the answers to my own questions about Easter origins, but didn’t quite find everything I wanted to know. I did however, get enough details that I’m able to share with you here.

Where the Name “Easter” Comes From

The word Easter is unique to English (and somewhat similar in German as Ostern), and its roots are believed to lie in ancient paganism.

According to the 8th-century English monk Bede, the name “Easter” is derived from Eostre (also spelled Ēostre or Ostara), an Anglo-Saxon goddess associated with spring, fertility, and the dawn.

Her festival was celebrated during the spring equinox, a time of renewal and rebirth.

While there is limited historical evidence beyond Bede’s account to confirm widespread worship of Eostre, the theme of springtime deities was common in many ancient cultures, and the name stuck in certain languages.

In contrast, most other languages refer to Easter using terms derived from Pascha—the Latin and Greek word for Passover—which links the holiday to its Jewish roots.

Christianity Meets Pagan Traditions

The early Christian church strategically aligned many of its holy days with existing pagan festivals to ease conversion and incorporate familiar seasonal rituals.

Easter’s timing is no coincidence…. it coincides with spring, a time when many ancient civilizations celebrated fertility, renewal, and the return of light after winter’s darkness.

Passover plays a major theological role in Christianity, as the events of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection occurred around the Jewish holiday. The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE declared that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox—a decision that maintains the holiday’s link to both solar and lunar calendars, echoing pagan observances.

The Symbols: Eggs, Bunnies, and Candy

Easter’s iconic symbols—eggs and bunnies—also trace their origins to pre-Christian fertility rites.

Eggs:

Eggs have long symbolized new life and rebirth. Ancient Persians, Egyptians, and Romans exchanged decorated eggs during spring festivals.

Christians later adopted the egg as a symbol of the resurrection: the shell representing the tomb and cracking it open representing Jesus’s emergence from the grave.

By the Middle Ages, eggs were forbidden during Lent, so they were often saved and decorated to mark the end of the fasting period. The tradition of dyeing eggs, especially in red to represent the blood of Christ, spread throughout Europe.

The Easter Bunny:

The hare (and later, the rabbit) is another ancient symbol of fertility. In German folklore, the Osterhase, or “Easter Hare,” was said to lay colored eggs for children who behaved well—much like Santa Claus at Christmas.

German immigrants brought this tradition to America in the 1700s, where it evolved into the Easter Bunny we know today.

Here are some terrifying vintage Easter bunny images from the 1920’s to 1980’s:

Candy and Easter Baskets:

Chocolate eggs became popular in 19th-century Europe, particularly in France and Germany.

With the industrial revolution and the rise of mass production, candy became an accessible indulgence.

Peeps, jellybeans, and chocolate bunnies are now staples of American Easter baskets.

Religious Observances Around the World

While Easter is most famously marked by sunrise services and celebratory meals in the West, traditions vary across cultures.

Italy & Spain: Processions and reenactments of the Passion are common, especially during Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday.
Greece: Easter is the most important holiday in the Greek Orthodox Church, marked by midnight church services, firework displays, and feasts including roasted lamb and red-dyed eggs.
Ethiopia: Celebrated as Fasika, Easter in Ethiopia includes a long fasting period and joyous feasts after the 55-day Lenten season.
Poland: Śmigus-Dyngus, or Wet Monday, follows Easter Sunday and involves playful water fights symbolizing cleansing and rebirth.
Philippines: Catholic traditions blend with native customs, featuring street processions and dramatic reenactments of the crucifixion.

A Celebration of Both Spirit and Season

Today, Easter exists at the crossroads of the sacred and the secular. For many, it remains a deeply spiritual celebration of life conquering death. For others, it’s a cultural celebration of spring’s arrival, marked by family gatherings, sweet treats, and festive fun.

Regardless of belief, the enduring power of Easter lies in its universal themes: hope, renewal, and the promise of brighter days ahead.

Did You Know?

The world’s largest Easter egg was over 25 feet tall and weighed over 8,000 pounds (made of chocolate!).
In Finland and Sweden, children dress as “Easter witches” and go door to door collecting candy—much like Halloween.
The White House has hosted an annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn since 1878.

Historic Ishtar-Easter Myth Confusion – Does Easter Come from Ishtar?

Great question—and it’s one that’s caused a lot of confusion and viral myths in recent years.

Let’s clear it up with a historically accurate answer:

Short Answer: I don’t know. I’ve found conflicting answers that I can’t quite determine accuracy.

Despite popular memes and internet claims, there is no credible historical evidence linking Easter directly to the ancient Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar.

However, there was a pagan celebration of Ishtar, the Assyrian and Babylonian god of fertility and sex. Her signs were the bunny and egg representing sex and new life following winter.

Historic Ishtar-Easter Myth Confusion

This idea likely became popular through modern internet posts that draw superficial similarities between the names Ishtar and Easter. However:

Ishtar (pronounced eesh-tar) was a goddess of love, war, and fertility in ancient Mesopotamian mythology—specifically Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian cultures.
The name Easter, as mentioned earlier, most likely comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre (according to the Venerable Bede).
The two deities—Eostre and Ishtar—are from very different cultures and time periods, with no proven connection.

The confusion mostly comes from:

A modern meme that falsely claims Easter was named after Ishtar and that eggs and bunnies are part of Ishtar’s worship.
The fact that both goddesses were connected to fertility and spring, which was common across many ancient cultures, not just Mesopotamia.

The Real Link? Maybe Just Coincidence.

While both Ishtar and Eostre are fertility-related figures tied to spring themes, there is no linguistic or cultural link between the names or traditions that would support the idea that Easter was derived from Ishtar, however, it cannot be ruled completely out.

More research and historical information needs to be collected.

Celebrating Easter

Understanding Easter’s origins offers a deeper appreciation for its many layers—mythology, history, faith, and festivity.

Whether you celebrate at church, with a brunch and a basket, or both, Easter is a reminder of transformation and new beginnings—a tradition that has endured and evolved through the ages.

~~ As always friends, take care, be kind to yourself and others, and always keep learning to be better and do better.

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Real History of Easter Origins: From Pagan Roots to Modern Traditions