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A summarised story behind the Easter Egg tradition

The Easter Egg is not a novel or new concept.   In fact, on the walls of Persepolis sculptures depict the ancient Persians (+/- 2500 years ago) carrying eggs to the king for the Persian New Year Celebration which took place at the Spring Equinox

The pre-Christian Saxons had a spring goddess called Eostre, whose feast was held on the Spring Equinox which was around 21 March. Her animal was the spring hare.   Some believe that Eostre was associated with eggs and hares, and the rebirth of the land in spring was symbolised by the egg.  It is believed that the English name for the festival of Easter derives from the Germanic word Eostre.

The Passover Seder is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish Holiday of the Passover.   The Seder is held on the evening of the 14th day of Nisan on the Hebrew Calendar – late March to Early April.   At this feast a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water symbolizes the festival sacrifice offered at the offered at the Temple in Jerusalem.

It is interesting to find that Pope Gregory the Great ordered his missionaries to use old religious sites and festivals, and absorb them into Christian rituals where possible. The Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Christ was ideally suited to be merged with the Pagan feast of Eostre, and many of the traditions were adopted into the Christian festivities.  Traditionally, Orthodox Easter eggs are dyed red to represent the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross, and the hard shell of the egg symbolized the sealed Tomb of Christ, the cracking of which symbolized his resurrection from the dead.  The hollowness represents the empty Tomb.  An egg also contains a new life – Christian life begins with the Resurrection of Christ.

The Easter egg tradition may also have merged into the celebration of the end of Lent in the West. Historically, it was traditional to use up all of the household's eggs before Lent began. Eggs were originally forbidden during this period as well as on other traditional fasting days in Western Christianity. Likewise, in Eastern Christianity both meat and dairy products are prohibited during Lent. With the coming of the Easter celebration the consumption of eggs (and dairy products) resumed.

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