Re: CHAT Easter & East (was: Country Related: Christmas)

On Tue, 22 Dec 1998, Raymond A. Brown wrote:

> EASTER
>
> The goddess was Eostre or Eastre, according to dialect, and her festival
> was at the Spring equinox.  This is the etymology given by the Venerable
> Bede but many now consider it to be 'folk etymology'.
>
According to one source I refer to for Brithenig customs Easter is related
to IE cognates which means 'dawn'; Eos, Aurora, Ushas so it could mean the
Festival of the Dawn Goddess OR the Month of the Dawn, refering to the
season, which is comparable with April being derived from Aperire, to
open.  It could also give a connection between dawn and east.

- andrew.

Andrew Smith, Intheologus                       hobbit@earthlight.co.nz
Q. Why are there so many Smiths in the Phone Book?
A. Because they all have telephones!

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