The pagan roots of Easter

Easter is a pagan festival that many are not aware of, or have not seen its origin from history. So then if Easter isn't really about Jesus, then what is it about? For the most part, you will find its secular culture celebrating the spring equinox, whilst religious culture celebrates what they consider the resurrection of Christ. However, if you go through history you will find that Christianity let heathen festivals come in and made a acceptance of ancient pagan practices, one which today is known as Easter. The general symbolic story of the death of the son (sun) on a cross (the constellation of the Southern Cross) and his rebirth, overcoming the powers of darkness, was a well worn story in the ancient world. There were plenty of parallel, rival resurrected pagan gods too.

The Sumerian goddess Inanna, or Ishtar, was hung naked on a stake, and was subsequently resurrected and ascended from the underworld. One of the oldest resurrection myths is Egyptian Horus. Born on 25 December, Horus and his damaged eye became symbols of life and rebirth. Mithras was born on what we now call Christmas day, and his followers celebrated the spring equinox. Even as late as the 4th century AD, the Sol Invictus, associated with Mithras, was the last great pagan cult the church faced and rather than reject it let it come into the church with its sun worship. Dionysus was a divine child, resurrected and Dionysus also brought the mother goddess, Semele, back to life.

The Cybele cult flourished on today's Vatican Hill. They held that Cybele's lover Attis, was born of a virgin, died and was reborn annually. This spring festival began as a day of blood on Black Friday, rising to a crescendo after three days, in rejoicing over the resurrection. There was violent conflict on Vatican Hill in the early days of Christianity between the Jesus worshippers and pagans who quarrelled over whose God was the true, and whose the imitation. Christianity came to an accommodation with the pagan Spring festival and used it to bring in unconverted pagans. Although we see no celebration of Easter in the New Testament, the church in Rome celebrated it and used its power to spread it throughout Christiandom, and today we see many churches offering "sunrise services" at Easter – an obvious pagan solar celebration. ?

All the things about Easter are pagan. Bunnies are a leftover from the pagan festival of Eostre, a great northern goddess whose symbol was a rabbit or hare. Exchange of eggs is an ancient custom, celebrated by many cultures. Hot cross buns are very ancient too. In the Old Testament we see the Israelites baking sweet buns for an idol, and religious leaders trying to put a stop to it. The early church clergy also tried to put a stop to sacred cakes being baked at Easter. In the end, in the face of defiant cake-baking pagan women, they gave up and it swept into the church as it fell into apostasy and turned against the true believers which it then persecuted.

Easter is essentially a pagan festival which was celebrated with gifts and the ancient symbolism still is held by those who call themselves pagan followers and unfortunately by many Christian.

 

In 195 A.D., Victor, bishop of Rome, tried to force all of the eastern church leaders to keep the annual celebration of Christ's resurrection on Sunday. Of course, the bishops of the other churches protested, insisting that if done at all, the Biblical precedent for this was on the fourteenth day of the month Nisan [Ex 10,12,14, Lev 23:5].

But Victor would not consider this, and had the boldness to write letters "ex-communicating" all leaders and churches that refused to do as he said. He declared all the churches of Asia to be apostates because they would not follow his example in the matter. Back in those days, some churches were more influential than others, but none were "over" the others. What Victor tried to do in 195 AD. was not sanctioned in any way by scripture.This was probably the first time in history that the bishop of Rome attempted to gain control over all the other churches, and commenting on it, Dr. Bower, in his History of the Popes, volume 1, page 18, calls it "The first essay of papal usurpation." In simple language, we would call it, "the first attempt at papal takeover." A careful study of the historical records reveals that gradually, with the passing of the years, the Roman bishop tended to use his new day, Sunday, as a ploy for political supremacy over the other churches. Victor's decree was the first ecclesiastical Sunday Law of any kind, in history. The festival on Easter controversy continued, with the Eastern churches giving it stiff opposition until the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., at which time Sunday was declared the official day for Easter observance. Emperor Constantine immediately followed this, the same year, with civil enactments enforcing it among the churches.

 

The other Christian leaders saw the danger of worship according to the old pagan festivals and tried to stop it in what came to be known as Paschal/Easter controversies. We can find in history as the Quartodeciman controversy.

Eusebius of Caesarea (Church History, V, xxiii) wrote:
"A question of no small importance arose at that time [i.e. the time of Pope Victor I, about A.D. 190]. The dioceses of all Asia, according to an ancient tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon [of Nisan], on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should always be observed as the feast of the life-giving pasch (epi tes tou soteriou Pascha heortes), contending that the fast ought to end on that day, whatever day of the week it might happen to be. However it was not the custom of the churches in the rest of the world to end it at this point, as they observed the practice, which from Apostolic tradition has prevailed to the present time, of terminating the fast on no other day than on that of the Resurrection of our Saviour." So the bishop of Rome began the practice of fixing the celebration of Passover for Christians on Sunday and it spread through the old areas of the Empire.Polycarp the disciple of John the Apostle who was now the bishop of Smyrna, came and confronted Anicetus, the Bishop of Rome who had allow the changes in the Passover and other changes to bring in converts.According to Irenaeus, around the 150s or 160, Polycarp visited Rome to discuss the differences that existed between the other centers of Christianity in Asia and Rome "with regard to certain things" and especially about the time of the Pasch or Passover which in Rome were now the Easter festivals. Irenaeus says that Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, observed the fourteenth day of the moon, whatever day of the week that might be, following therein the tradition which he derived from John the Apostle. Irenaeus said that on certain things the two bishops speedily came to an understanding, while as to the time of the Pasch and the change to Easter, each adhered to his own custom. Polycarp following the eastern practice of celebrating Passover on the 14th of Nisan, the day of the Jewish Passover, regardless of what day of the week it fell while the bishop of Rome let it be observed on Sunday.

 

Here is from Wikipedia where I am a editor...
"Quartodecimanism (from the Vulgate Latin quarta decima in Leviticus 23:5,[1] meaning fourteenth) refers to the custom of early Christians celebrating Passover beginning with the eve of the 14th day of Nisan (or Aviv in the Hebrew Bible calendar).

The modern Jewish Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread is seven days, starting with the sunset at the beginning of Nisan 15. Judaism reckons the beginning of each day at sunset, not at sunrise as is the ancient custom in European traditions. The biblical law regarding Passover is said to be a "perpetual ordinance" (Exodus 12:14), to some degree also applicable to proselytes (Exodus 12:19).

Regarding the chronology of Jesus, some claim the Gospel of John (e.g., 19:14, 19:31, 19:42) implies that Nisan 14 was the day that Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem and that the Synoptic Gospels instead place the execution on the first day of Unleavened Bread (Matthew 26:17). In Ancient Israel the first day of Unleavened Bread was on Nisan 15 and began a seven-day feast to the Lord (Leviticus 23:6). By the time of Christ, many customs in regard to the festival had changed, notable among them the intermixing of the two festivals in some customs and terminology. The eight days, passover and the feast of unleavened bread, were often collectively referred to as the Passover, or the Pesach Festival.[2][3]"...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartodecimanism

So the Bishop of Rome ignore the warning and continued to allow the Passover to be observed on Sunday at the pagan Spring Equinox festival, so this is how the Pasch was change to the festival of Easter.

 

I post the links when I find them, but sometimes they are missing in my notes, so sorry. But look it up yourself, it definitely was not the Pasch or Passover from the early church.

 

Lets go over this list (which I found the link https://faithinyhvh.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/the-two-are-the-same/) of the doctrines of the pagan sun gods and look closely and you can see how false doctrines and corruption entered the church in this comparison:

1. The Midsummer festival of the Pagan was held on June 24 of each year.
The Nativity of St. John is held every year on June 24 by Papal Rome.
2. The assumption of Semiramus who became the mother godess of all Pagans.
The assumption of Mary, who became worshipped as the mother of God rather than just a good woman.
3. The mother goddess was given the title, and worshipped as the Queen of Heaven. Jer. 7:18
The Virgin Mary is given the title, and worshipped as the Queen of Heaven by Papal Rome.
4.The "Queen of Heaven" is wrath subduer of the Pagan god.
Mary, "Queen of Heaven" subdues the wrath of Christ and His Father against sinners.
5. Cakes decorated to the goddess with a "+" drawn on it. Jer. 44:17,19
Hot cross buns are backed for Mary in most Roman Catholic churches
6. 40 days fasting before Easter for Tammuz, Ezek. 8:14
The fast of 40 days (Lent) before Easter is doctrine with no scripture to support it.
7. Sexual festival of Easter. Ezek 8:16
The Roman Catholic
church initiated the sexual festival of Easter first in Christiandom.
8. The resurrection of Tammuz on Easter, and the procession of graven images during Easter holy week
All Roman Catholic churches parade partake in processions of graven images of Jesus, Mary, and Peter, and of the saints during Easter week
9. Veneration of graven images of Baal, Ishtar, Tammuz and lesser gods in the heavens
All Roman Catholic churches venerate graven images of Jesus, Mary, Peter, and of the "lesser" saints in the heavens.
10. The belief of the constant immortality of the soul, and burning place of eternal torment.
Rome teaches the belief of immortality of the soul and a burning place of eternal torment.
11. Pagans believed in the doctrine of purgatory.
Papal Rome teaches the doctrine of purgatory.
12. The belief of the dead visiting the living on a certain day each year. A feast is then held for all the dead on first day of November.(Called all souls day).
Papal Rome teaches they must hold a festival for the dead on all souls day held Nov. 2, and all saints day held Nov. 1 of each year.
13. Burning candles to the gods Jer 11:17; Ezek 8:11.
Papal Rome, has the people burn candles in their "masses".
14. Chants and repetitive prayers. Beaded prayer chains.
Papal Rome uses chants and the beaded prayer chains.(Rome calls the chant "Gregorian chant" and the beaded chained "Rosary").
15. Pagans wear amulets and idols to scare away evil spirits.
Roman Catholicism teaches the wearing of crucifixes and medals as a method of protection. The scapular is proof of that fact.
16. Pagan's would paint the child Tammuz and his mother Semiramus with the glory of the Sun around their heads.
Rome paints the child Jesus and his mother Mary with halos of the Sun around their heads.
19. Pagan's performed infant baptism, and the sprinkling of holy water.
Papal Rome practices infant baptism, as well as the sprinkling of holy water.
20. Pagans taught Necromancy (Talking to the dead).
Papal Rome teaches Mysticism (Novenas/prayers to the dead).
21. The first day of the week kept sacred to honor the sun god Mithra. The name of the day was changed to "SUN"day .
Papal Rome admitted they changed the Sabbath from day 7 to day one in honor of "SUN"day.
22. The title Pontifex Maximus was given to the chief head of the pagan Babylonian system of idolatry.
The title Pontifex Maximus is the main title of the Popes of Rome.
23. Pagan gods (Janus and Cybele) were believed to be holders of the keys to Heaven and Hell.
The pope claims to have the keys of Peter or Heaven and Hell within his clutches.
24. The Pagan high priest king is believed to be the incarnate of the Sun god.
The Pope proclaims to be Jesus Christ in the flesh on Earth.
30. Pagans often placed stone carving of Gargoils upon their roofs as a pagan god of protection
The Vatican as well as thousands of Catholic churches across the globe have gargoils on their roofs
31. Large poles or Phallic symbols were placed on the roofs, or in courtyards of pagan temples.
The Vatican has the largest phallic symbol in the middle of St Peter's square and many other of their churchs.
32. The Solar wheel is a symbol for Baal and was given reverence by the Pagans of old. This wheel can be found carved into ancient as well as modern Buddhist temples and carved into ancient ornamental form representing Osiris.
St Peter's square has largest solar wheel on the planet. ALL Catholic churches have numerous solar wheels in stain glass windows as well as many other areas of the church. Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris sports a very huge one on it's face. There is a great one in ceiling as well as the floor tiles of the monastery of St. Ignatius Loyola in Spain. Numerous paintings, statues, ornaments, and letterheads of all Catholic churches have one or more "solar wheels" depicted upon them. And the ONE WORLD CHURCH that started on June 26, 2000 uses the solar wheel as its official logo on their letterhead
33. Archeologists have found numerous pagan carvings of the serpent in many places including Rome bath houses.
The symbol of serpent can also be found on numerous Catholic churches in door handles, Papal crests, etc.
34. Pagans have depicted "Atlas" as carrying the universe on his shoulders. They would place a large globe upon his shoulders.
Numerous Popes have been depicted in paintings in the exact same manner. There are also some paintings and statues of Mary doing same.
35. Pagans used the symbols of the "Unicorn, Peacock, and Phoenix" to signify some of their sun gods, and statues of a 'Madonna'..
Symbols of the "Unicorn, Peacock, and Phoenix" used to symbolize the "communion" of Christ are found carved in gold in many churches on doors or chapels as well as the small sanctuary buildings housing the Eucharist or wafer god of Rome. The statues of a "Madonna" can be found in all Pagan churches as well as the Egyptian Madonna, Isis, with her son Horus, or Hindu churches with Divaki and her son Krishna
Mary is found in all Catholic churches holding baby Jesus wearing the same clothing, as well as Jesus making the same hand signals.

 

The thing is, the paganism took over, and Christianity swept aside and that it why the Reformation came in when it saw what had been done..

 

As for the change from Passover for the Pasch by the bishop of Rome, there is no dispute...

Quartodecimans | Encyclopedia.com

Quartodecimanism - Oxford Reference

What does quartodecimanism mean?

Quartodecimanism

Easter or Passover: Which Is for Christians?

Passover (15): Why Jewish Passover and Easter don’t match -Chuck Missler

This is a excellent study...
"Why did POLYCARP and the Asiatic bishops refuse to accept the Roman Method of reckoning the date to celebrate the death of Christ? And why did they the Asiatic churches emphasize the DEATH
of Jesus rather and his resurrection?

The answer can be found in what is written about POLYCARP himself.

"Bishop of Smyrna, 2nd century martyr .... a disciple of St.
John, probably the Apostle. ....Polycarp journeyed to Rome as representative of the churches of Asia Minor and dealt with the Pope Anicetus (155-166) on the Quartodeciman question....
CATHOLIC ENCY. ART. 'POLYCARP ').

Did you catch it? Polycarp was a disciple of the apostle John!

Mr. LATOURETTE, writing about Irenaeus in his "HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIANITY" says, "....A native of either Syria or Minor, Isrenaeus had in his youth seen POLYCARP, Bishop of Smyrna. Polycarp, he informs us, had been instructed by the apostles and had talked with many who had seen Christ" page 131.

On the evening of the 14th of Nisan Jesus instituted the NT ordinance of FOOT WASHING (see my study on that question under the Passover studies), among His disciples as a sign of humility to each other, and the symbols of Bread and the fruit of the Vine, to represent His broken body and shed blood for our sins
(John 13:1-15; Mat.26:17,20,26-29).

The apostolic church continued to keep this very special evening and service (1 Cor. 11:17-34).

God's people under the leadership of Polycarp and others of the 2nd century followed the teaching and example of Jesus and the early church, in remembering the death of Christ on the 14th of Nisan (in the Jewish calendar).

People of God today will do the same."...Keith Hunt - Quartodeciman Controversy

 

Sorry I have to disclose or I get hit if not, as I work on many of these issues or doctrines...

 

Yes, but when its purpose was to allow the pagan 'converts' to continue their festival, then it is an issue.