In most European languages, the name of the holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus derives from the word “Pascha.” It’s called Pâques in French, Pasqua in Italian, Pasg in Welsh, Påske in Danish, Páskar in Icelandic, and Pasen in Dutch. Why, then, do we call it “Easter” in English?
First things first, Pascha (or Πάσχα) is a word of Greek and Latin origin, which itself is linked to the Hebrew פֶּסַח (Pesach), meaning Passover. This is because early Christians closely linked Jesus’ resurrection with the Jewish holiday Passover, which celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as told in the biblical story of Exodus. Both holidays blossom in springtime and are associated with the renewal of life.
“Easter is essentially a commemoration of events that originally coincided with Passover, and the historical link between the two festivals is still preserved today in the former’s name in many European language,” explains a 1982 paper in the American Sociological Review.
“The affinity between the two festivals was particularly obvious during the early days of Christianity. That the Great Week preceding Easter used to be called the Week of Unleavened Bread, for example, ought to be understood within the context of the fact that, in antiquity, the week-long Passover was often referred to as the Feast of Unleavened Bread,” it adds.
There are just a handful of European languages that don’t follow this etymological tradition, including English (Easter) and German (Ostern).
These words carry a more enigmatic past. The most common explanation is that the word “Easter” stems from the name of a pre-Christian pagan goddess, called “Eastre” or “Eostre,” revered by the Anglo-Saxons as a symbol of spring and the dawn. In the same spirit, Jacob Grimm (yes, the fairy tale guy) speculated that the German word is linked to “Ostara,” the Germanic Goddess of spring and dawn.
There is some uncertainty, though. The only written reference to the goddess Eostre comes from the writings of Saint Bede, an influential English monk and scholar who also tied the pagan deity to the celebrations of early English Christians. While the lack of mentions about her is unusual, many scholars believe it is a sturdy link.
One thing is clear: Easter is not associated with ancient worship of the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar. Though this mistaken link often circulates in New Age memes on social media, it has been dismissed as “complete nonsense.”
Even in countries where the name derives from Pascha, local Easter traditions often blend Christian themes with ancient seasonal customs, such as egg-painting, rabbits, or springtime feasts. These rituals, rooted in fertility and renewal, echo ancient celebrations of the Earth’s rebirth after winter and seamlessly align with the Christian holiday’s own themes of resurrection and new life.
Now that’s sorted, you might be wondering why Easter is celebrated on a different date each year.
Source Link: Why Is It Called "Easter"? In Most Other Languages, A Totally Different Backstory Emerges
