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Easter shines forth from lilies
in Hollywood Bowl, from children
on White House lawn, from
throngs before St. Peter's in
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I" or many people Easter is the greatest feast day of the Christian year. This
is because Easter sets forth the promise of man's immortality.
When all is said and done, people do care whether or not they will live
again. The burdens and the racking pains of this life may overwhelm them at
times, but most people want another chance. No one wants to believe his
personality will be snuffed out like a candle flame. He hopes to be able to go on
living with all the interesting and wonderful people he has known upon earth.
That is why multitudes of people joyfully crowd into churches on Easter.
They know that on this day the resurrection of the human spirit will be
celebrated and'explained. They want to hear once more the assurance that God
will match man's desire for life after death. "
Easter dawns first in the Fiji Islands, which lie on the international date line.
The simple celebration of the islanders opens a world-wide observance of the
feast for nearly a billion people.
From the South Pacific, Easter moves to Japan and jthe Philippine Islands,
, then crosses Asia to glorify each mission station and native church. Soon Easter
comes to Bethlehem and Jerusalem, crosses Europe to the British Isles, then to
New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, and the Pacific Coast. At length it reaches
the Hawaiian Islands to bring the major festival of the Christian world to a close.
In this journey around the world, Easter is celebrated in wonderful variety.
There are processions and pilgrimages in Jerusalem, cathedral services in
France, roast lamb dinners in England, fashion parades in New York, egg-rolling
contests on the White House lawn, and sunrise services all over the United
States and Canada. In a multitude of ways, the Christian world sets forth the
joy of its faith in the resurrection story.
" During the solemn hours of Holy Week, pilgrims from all parts of the world
travel to Israel to spend the Easter week end in Jerusalem. It was here that
Jesus was arrested, tried, put to death, and here His resurrection took place.
A deeply moving satisfaction comes to the worshiper who visits those historic
sites. He makes the pilgrimage through the narrow streets that led to Calvary,
and at some of the shrines along the way he pauses for devotions. He drops on
his knees in the Garden of Gethsemane before visiting the chapel of the Holy
Sepulchre, where sanctuary lamps are kept burning by Coptic, Greek, and
Roman churches. When Easter comes, the pilgrim makes his way to one of the
churches to hear the Easter scriptures and to sing the alleluias.
Through centuries of celebration, European countries have adorned the feast
of the Resurrection with many interesting customs. Before the great
day actually comes to Austria and Central Europe there are many prepara
tions for family parties. Special pastries are baked, as well as the Easter cake
in the form of a lamb. This is covered with frosting and liberally sprinkled with
coconut to give the appearance of wool. A red ribbon is tied around its neck
and the cake is served as dessert following a baked ham or roast lamb dinner.
Family preparations in Central Europe include the traditional Easter eggs.
Some eggs are blown out of their shells, and long hours are spent painting
intricate designs on these shells. The results are miniature works of art. Other
eggs are hard-boiled and dyed in such vegetable colorings as onion water or
beet juice. When Easter comes, these eggs are presented as gifts.
The custom of dyeing eggs for Easter is universal, though Central Europeans
give it more attention than other people. No one knows when the egg was first
associated with Easter, but the egg symbol goes back to the dawn of civilization.
Some ancient mythologies picture the earth itself emerging from a gigantic egg
formed by the gods. This symbol of the chick breaking forth from the egg and
the emergence of life from the sepulchre has persisted through the ages. It was
Family Weekly, April 6, 1958