Red Eggs

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BVM_1221

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For those reading this forum who are not Eastern Catholics, but have a genuine interest in our traditions, might be interested in the tradition of passing out hard-boiled Easter Eggs at the end of mass. They are stained (not dyed) red. Here is a link with more information…

psalterstudies.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/red-easter-eggs/

I will admit that, having fasted before mass, I promptly ate the egg after mass:D
 
Christ is Risen!!

St John of Damascus describes the red egg in this way: The red signifies Christ’s Blood that dripped on sinful humanity throughout the world and destroyed sin (represented by the hard-boiled core). The breaking of the egg represents the Resurrection.

He also mentions that the full response to the Paschal greeting, Christ is Risen is:

“Truly the Lord of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible has risen from the dead!”

Alex
 
Huh… Ya know, I just commented to a person a few days ago “What eggs and chocolate and bunnies have to do with Easter I’ll never know.” Now I know… at least about the eggs. The other stuff is still a mystery to me! :confused:
 
Hristos a Inviat! Adevarat a Inviat! (Christ is Risen in Roumanian . . .)

The bunnies are a symbol of the Resurrection since rabbits live in dens under the earth and come out in the spring etc.

The chocolate, since it is a sweet, represents the breaking of all fasting as sweets are traditionally refrained from as part of the fast.

Alex
 
Absolutely sir! I didn’t mention anything about the pre-Christian roots because I didn’t want people here accusing me of . . . well, anything one could imagine! 😉

Metropolitan Ilarion Ohienko wrote a massive book on these pre-Christian traditions in the Ukrainian culture and connects them with their transformation in Orthodox Christianity.

Alex
 
Do you guys have any traditions regarding the FIRST cracking of the red egg with members of your family/friends…?
 
The head of the family/household cracks an egg with someone else by simply knocking them together. These are then peeled and cut up on a plate. At the beginning of the Easter brunch, the head of the house then goes around to everyone who takes a piece of the egg and exchanges the “Christ is Risen” greeting with the head of the house while kissing three times on the cheeks in honour of the Holy Trinity.

Then the prayers and the singing of the Eastern hymn - then to eating!

Alex
 
Women seem to be more adept at such artistry than men . . .

I know how you feel! 😉

Alex
 
Alexander_Roman said:
The head of the family/household cracks an egg with someone else by simply knocking them together. These are then peeled and cut up on a plate. At the beginning of the Easter brunch, the head of the house then goes around to everyone who takes a piece of the egg and exchanges the “Christ is Risen” greeting with the head of the house while kissing three times on the cheeks in honour of the Holy Trinity.

Then the prayers and the singing of the Eastern hymn - then to eating!

Alex
Click to expand...
I give the RCIA folks in my Latin Church a pair of red eggs on Holy Saturday with an icon card of Mary Magdalen and her red egg, a print out of the story of her red egg and a number of selections from the sites below about traditions such as the one you give, AR.
theologic.com/oflweb/lentpask/basket.htm
fullhomelydivinity.org/eggs.htm
investbulgaria.com/BulgarianEaster.php
myczechrepublic.com/czech_culture/czech_holidays/easter/red_eggs.html
geocities.com/tyshee.geo/Pascha.htm
 
Good for you, that is a great work of Christian ministry!

I wish the Catholic Church would mandate RCIA for ALL Catholics, convert or cradle.

Cheers,

Alex
 
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