The Meaning of Easter: A Deeper Look Into Its True Origins

Easter is often associated with chocolate eggs, pastel colours, and springtime celebrations—but beneath the modern traditions lies a rich and layered history, deeply rooted in ancient spirituality, renewal, and rebirth. For many, Easter is a central Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet the origins of this sacred time stretch far beyond the walls of any church, touching ancient pagan festivals, seasonal cycles, and the human longing for light after darkness.

The Christian Heart of Easter

In Christian tradition, Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus, three days after his crucifixion. It is the culmination of Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday and includes Maundy Thursday (the Last Supper) and Good Friday (the crucifixion). To believers, Easter represents not only the triumph of life over death, but also the promise of eternal life, forgiveness, and spiritual rebirth. It is the cornerstone of Christian faith, symbolising hope even in the face of deep suffering.

A More Ancient Celebration

Pre-Christian cultures around the world celebrated this time of year as a season of renewal long before people knew it as Easter. In the Northern Hemisphere, it coincided with the spring equinox—when light and darkness briefly stand in balance before the days begin to lengthen. For ancient peoples, this marked the return of fertility to the land, the end of winter’s grip, and the rebirth of life.

People believe the word Easter has roots in Ēostre (or Ostara), the name of an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. Festivals, in her honour, celebrated the return of life, symbolised by hares (symbols of fertility) and eggs (symbols of new beginnings). These natural symbols carried powerful meanings long before Christianity adopted and adapted them.

Blending Traditions

As Christianity spread through Europe, it often absorbed and reinterpreted existing pagan customs to ease the transition into the new faith. Easter is one of the most prominent examples of this blend. The holiday timing—linked to the Jewish Passover and the spring equinox—merged with older seasonal celebrations, allowing both traditions to coexist and develop.

Thus, the resurrection story aligned with the earth’s cycle of dying and returning to life, offering a universal message: that from darkness comes light, from death comes renewal, and that life—however fragile—continues.

A Time for Inner Renewal

Beyond the religious and historical layers, Easter holds a spiritual message that transcends doctrine. It’s an invitation for each of us to consider: What in me is ready to rise again? What am I being called to release, and what new life is trying to emerge within me?

Whether you celebrate Easter in a church pew, with a sunrise walk in nature, or simply in silent reflection, its essence is the same: transformation. It’s a time to honour both endings and beginnings, to reflect on the struggles we’ve survived, and to welcome the growth that follows.

Easter, Then and Now

The history of Easter reminds us that while traditions may evolve, their deeper meaning endures. It is a season not just of faith, but of feeling—a time to reconnect with the rhythms of life, to find meaning in the cycles of loss and renewal, and to trust in the possibility of rebirth, both around us and within us.