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Show Origin of Easter wlIC lily Is, in the great na-yv-wii tlons of the world, being ii ;dl considered & Important IKIlJ' nowadays, oa account of lt hi rnSj Bymbollsiii, as the holly or Vil'vO "le -verRre'n. Indeed, ,.y'j t'ler BeetiiB to be little dlf fcrence between the Im QirX portance accorded to Christ-maa Christ-maa and that given to Eas-fjA Eas-fjA ter. Each stands in ItB sym M bollBin for a deep rellglona Vi) event, and each In Its place holds a significance uot to be Piled by the other. It Is regretted by some people that an observance such as the Easter festival had Its Inauguration In a ceremony cere-mony that was an outgrowth of a pagan festival Hut to tho broad-minded broad-minded the fact appears as an evl dence of. the lasting traits of man, r curring In different ages, and modified to suit the conditions of the tlmea. The twentieth century celebration Is the modern evolution of heathen Ideals Influenced by those of the ChrlsC'Mi religion. From time Im memorial man has celebrated the birth of spring the passing of the gloomy days of winter. It remained for the Christians to accept the deeply-rooted habits of the pagans and to change the formal celebration to suit their beliefs. Easter, through the happy Initiative of the Emperor Constantlne In the fourth century, was celebrated not on the day of the Jewish Passover, but the Sunday after. The variation of the date depends upon the fact that tb vernal equinox, of the 21st day of March, Is trie point from which the first Sunday after the full moon Is rckorfed The first observance of Easter dates back as far as C8 A. D. From that time It has meant much to Christians, and In the Joyous rebirth of Christ there Is a general heartfelt resolution to emerge Into the springlike freshness fresh-ness of newer Ideals and better things. |