Is Easter a Pagan Holiday?

Easter Is a Christian Celebration of the Resurrection

Is Easter a pagan holiday? No, it's a Christian holiday, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the grave. So it's very much not a pagan holiday. Right, but doesn't it replace a pagan holiday?

No, Easter celebrations in the early church were associated with Passover since that was the season in which Jesus was crucified and risen. In 325, the Council of Nicaea decided that a Christian Passover would be held on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox, independent of the Jewish Passover.

The Origin of the Name Easter

Fine, but isn't the name Easter from a pagan goddess? No, the claim that Easter comes from the pagan goddess Oostra was made up by 8th century English monk Beatty, but no traditions for such a goddess exist.

The name is probably taken from the Anglo-Saxon word for the spring equinox. Alright, but aren't Easter eggs a pagan tradition? No, they come from German Lenten traditions, though some would have you believe that the Easter egg originates with Nimrod's egg-laying wife.

The Easter Bunny and German Lutheran Traditions

Okay, but the Easter bunny, that's pagan, right? Actually, no. The Easter hare was made up by German Lutherans as a Santa Claus-like character awarding children for good behavior, which has its own set of theological problems.

Why Christians Need Not Quarrel Over Days

So, again, Easter isn't pagan. Now, while there's nothing in the Bible about celebrating Easter, it does say not to quarrel over opinions about days. If someone wants to celebrate Easter Sunday, they're not doing anything pagan.

And if someone doesn't, they're not doing anything unchristian. Let us as believers rejoice together in our risen Lord every day when we understand the text.