【复活节文化解析】复活节的彩蛋，兔子，和基督到底有啥关系？,环球雅思墨尔本分校微信公众号文章

复活节起源，习俗知多少？

复活节快到了！但可别总是惦记着放假，对于复活节的文化，你知道多少呢？

你是否听说过，复活节对于基督徒来说可不仅仅是一天而已？为什么复活节当天邻居家的孩子吵着要去找彩蛋，吃兔子形状的巧克力呢？

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The period of Easter

复活节周期

对于基督教徒来说，整个复活节期的庆祝是一段很漫长的时期。

它开始于圣灰节（Ash Wednesday），也就是耶稣复活日（也就是复活节当天）的前39天。而复活节庆祝周期的正式结束于圣灵降临节（Pentecost or Whitsun）当天，也就是复活节当日的49天之后。相传，在圣灵降临节这天，升天后的耶稣差遣了圣灵到凡间，因此信徒们可以得到与神同在的安慰和引导。

说到复活节的起源，不仅仅是纪念耶稣的复活，它与异教徒的庆典也密切相关。

Origin of Easter - Pagan （异教）roots

When it comes to Easter, the first thing coming into our mind is a holiday associated with the observance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Well, the origin of Easter is actually based on an ancient pagan celebration for spring, which long before the advent of Christianity

说到复活节，大家第一个会想到的是纪念耶稣的复活的节日。但不仅仅如此。复活节的起源其实与异教徒庆祝春天的节日息息相关。这远远早于基督教的起源。

其实Easter这个词，最开始有另一层意思。

According to the most widely accepted theory, the origin of the term “Easter” is that it is derived from the name of a Germanic goddess “Ēostre”, who is the goddess of dawn and spring.

根据目前最受认可的Easter起源理论，Easter这词是来源语日耳曼的女神Ēostre。她是黎明和春天的化身。

也就是说Easter在基督教之前是一个庆祝春天，新生的一个节日。

Following the advent of Christianity, the Easter period became associated with the resurrection of Christ.

后来基督教诞生之后，这种庆祝春天，新生的习俗就与纪念耶稣的复活逐渐融合了。

Origin of Easter - Resurrection（重生） Day for Christians

Nowadays, Easter has been given another meaning by Christianity. For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about 2,000 years ago.

如今，复活节被基督教赋予了另一层意义。对于基督徒来说，复活节来源于2000年前耶稣受难和复活。

According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the Jewish Passover. Since that awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and often celebrated it with the traditional Passover.

根据圣经福音书记载，旧约中真正的弥赛亚（救世主）耶稣，从他受难到复活的时间刚好与犹太教中逾越节* 的时间是一致的。从这以后，那些认为耶稣基督就是他们的弥赛亚的信徒，就开始把这两件大事件一起纪念和庆祝。

逾越节*（Passover）：希伯来文的动词的意思是“越过”，就是上帝带领以色列人出埃及前，给埃及人第十个灾难时，灭命的使者在击杀头生的孩子和牲畜时“越过”了门框、门楣上涂了羊血的希伯来人的家庭。

后来当基督教福音传到非犹太教的国家后，因为人们并没有庆祝逾越节的习俗，所以异教徒庆祝春天庆典就逐渐和基督教徒信仰的耶稣复活融合了。

The traditions of Easter

说到复活节的传统，大家都会想到兔子和复活节蛋。那为什么复活节需要话彩蛋，吃兔子巧克力呢？

"Eggs, as a symbol of new life, became a common people's explanation of the resurrection。" Professor Cusack said.

根据Cusack教授的解释，“蛋，代表着新的生命，和重生”

While rabbits and hares are also associated with fertility and were symbols linked to the goddess Eostre.

而兔子则与强大的繁殖力有着密切的联系，它也是女神Eostre的代表象征。

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那么复活节到底有些什么有趣的传统庆祝活动呢？？

1. Dyeing Easter Eggs 画染复活节蛋

To celebrate the new season, it’s said that people colored eggs and gave them to friends and family as gifts.

根据异教徒的传统，据说为了庆祝新春的来临，人们会把画好的彩色蛋当做礼物，送给朋友或者家人。

2. Searching for colored eggs 找复活节蛋

According to the folklore hares would hide the colored eggs that children hunted for, which suggests to us that as early as the 18th century, decorated eggs were hidden in gardens for egg hunts。

在异教徒民俗传说中，相传早于18世纪，兔子会把彩蛋藏在花园里，然后让孩子来找。

3. Eating hollow chocolate bunnies 吃空心的兔子行巧克力

Now that we know why Easter is associated with rabbits, little chocolate leporidae actually make sense. But why are so many of them hollow inside?

如果你已经知道兔子和复活节的关联，那吃复活节兔子巧克力的习俗就不稀奇了。但是为什么巧克力会是空心的呢？

In fact, the empty insides are really just in consideration of your teeth. If you had a larger-size bunny and it was solid chocolate, it would be like a brick.

实际上，空心的巧克力只为了你的牙好。设想一下，如果你买了一块超大实心的兔子巧克力，它吃起来就会像一块砖。

4. Eating cross buns吃十字面包

It is said that this tradition started in the 12th century with a monk who was inspired to mark his rolls to celebrate Good Friday.

相传，吃十字包的习俗起源于12世纪，当时有一个僧人为了庆祝耶稣受难日，灵机一动而想出来的点子。