You can't dye eggs on Good Friday. Why are eggs painted for Christian Easter? Yandex is it possible to paint eggs after Easter?

There are many theories about why eggs are painted at Easter, none of which have documentary evidence. The tradition itself was first mentioned in a 10th-century document found in the library of one of the monasteries in Greece. The document says that after the Easter service it was necessary to read a prayer blessing eggs and cheese.

Why are eggs dyed for Easter and not other foods?

In Christianity, this tradition is a sacred symbol of the sacrament, and every bearer of faith must observe it. In the code of church laws from the 13th century, it was said that the abbot could punish the monk who did not eat a colored egg on Easter Sunday, since in this way he cast doubt on the apostolic traditions and did not honor the Son of God.

The use of eggs as a symbol of resurrection is not accidental. Even before Christianity, they symbolized the Universe and the beginning of life. In Ancient Rome, Egypt, Greece - they personified the birth of a living being. In the Christian faith, this product was a symbol of the Holy Sepulcher, which contained undying life. According to legend, the tomb of Christ was transformed into a stone, the outline of which was similar to a chicken egg. That is why for people Easter dye is identified with liberation from death and eternal life.

Why do we paint eggs red - version one

One of the theories of the origin of this tradition says that after the crucifixion of Christ, the inhabitants of Judea, numbering seven people, threw a rich feast. Among the dishes on the table were boiled eggs. One of those present began a speech that today was the third day after the execution and that Jesus should come to life.

They laughed back at him and said that if the resurrection happened, eggshell blushed and after a second she changed color to red. From that moment on, every Christian carries out the procedure of painting the symbol of life in shades of red, thus honoring the victory over the lack of faith.

Why eggs are painted red for Easter - second guess

According to the version listed on Wikipedia , After the resurrection of the Savior, his followers went to different cities and countries to convey the great news to people. They told people that death should not be feared, since it was defeated by the Son of God. Christ has risen and this will happen to everyone who honors God and treats people well.

Mary Magdalene went to convey this good news to the ruler of Rome, Tiberius. According to the rules that existed at that time, if a poor man came to receive a ruler and could not present rich gifts, he had to bring at least one egg. Mary presented it to Tiberius and told him about what happened on Easter Sunday.

The emperor grinned in the woman’s face and said that the dead could not be resurrected, just as her offering could not turn red. Instantly, before Tiberius’ eyes, the shell began to fill with blood and acquired a dark red color. Since then, we have been painting eggs for this holiday and giving them as gifts, reminding people of the resurrection of the Savior and his instructions. This version is presented in the work of Dmitry of Rostov, a bishop of the Russian Church and spiritual writer.

Why eggs are painted red for Easter - theory three

One of the assumptions about the origin of this unwritten law is associated with Jesus Christ, but has nothing to do with his crucifixion. This version says that Mary, the mother of the son of God, enjoyed painting eggshells. Baby Jesus and his mother were engaged in this business, then distributing the resulting pysanky to their loved ones and people living in the neighborhood. After his ascension, believers began to repeat this activity in memory of the happy childhood of Christ.

What historians say about why eggs are painted for Easter

Some historians believe that this tradition is not connected with one of the most significant events in Christianity. Scientists associate it with the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. Before the birth of the great ruler of the Roman Empire, one of the hens laid an egg, the shell of which was painted with red specks. The inhabitants of Rome considered this incident an omen of great events for the Empire.

After this incident, the Romans introduced the tradition of coloring the shell, paying respect in this way to the great ruler. Subsequently, bearers of the Christian faith adopted this custom and began to repeat it on Easter, thus honoring their Savior.
Another option suggests that the custom of painting eggs red for Easter originated before our era and was then adopted by the followers of paganism. In many pagan cults, eggs were identified with good fruitfulness, and with the onset of a new farming season, people began to decorate them to obtain a rich harvest. With the development of Christianity, this ritual was adopted by its bearers, who began to perform it on Easter.

Some history researchers believe that the version with Mary Magdalene and Tiberius arose to justify the Christian church, which adopted pagan rituals. Today there are even those clergy who speak negatively about this custom and are trying to ban it among parishioners.

Why eggs are painted on Sunday of Christ - the most prosaic version

One of the theories of the origin of this ritual has no religious background. Her followers believe that during Lent people consumed a lot of eggs. To prevent spoilage, they were boiled and the shells were colored to distinguish them from raw ones.

Paint shade values

In addition to traditional red, other colors are used today to color Easter symbols. Each shade used explains something different.

Paint colors and their meanings:
red– symbolizes eternal life and shed blood in the name of human salvation;

green– identifies good health and revitalization of all living things with the arrival of spring;

brown– a symbol of fertile land and prosperity;

yellow– a sunny shade means wealth, and also protects from dark forces and temptation;

orange– absence of melancholy and despondency, which is a mortal sin;

blue- personifies heaven and the abode of angels.

It is recommended to use natural dyes to color the shell. You can buy them or prepare them yourself. So, for a traditional shade, cherry or pomegranate juice can be used. Yellow can be obtained by using a decoction of celery seeds, orange by turmeric, and brown by strong tea leaves. Beautiful blue This happens if you place the eggs in the water in which red cabbage was cooked.

Other dyeing technologies

In addition to paints, Easter eggs are made in honor of the Sunday of the Lord, the implementation of which involves applying various floral, geometric and other types of ornaments to the shell. Each of the symbols identifies one or another area of human life.

The most popular are patterns on the theme of flora, where oak leaves mean strength and good health, flowers - love, berries - motherhood.

The depicted crosses and other Christian signs on the pysanka represent the universe. Geometric figures on the shell will attract good luck to the one who receives such an Easter gift. They also paint the shells with images of animals and birds, believing that the owner of such an offering will gain best quality drawn representative of the fauna. The image of a dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit. An egg with the image of the sun will protect its owner from disease and the evil eye.

Specks are another option for coloring the egg shell. The principle of execution is to apply spots and specks to the base shade. Specks are a sign of fertility, so they are recommended to be given to those who want to have a child, engage in farming or raise pets.

Coloring ideas (video)

There are many options for applying patterns to Easter symbols. These can be either ready-made stickers or self-made painting. This video describes in detail how to make interesting ornaments using onion peels.

Kulich and other Easter attributes

In addition to the symbol of the Holy Sepulcher and eternal life in it, other iconic dishes are prepared for believers on one of the most important holidays. One of these is Easter cake, which is made from rich yeast dough. This treat is baked by the lady of the house on Maundy Thursday. She should be in a good mood and not occupy her mind with bad thoughts. Baking Easter bread, like other traditions of this holiday, has its roots in ancient times.

As the ancient legend says, after his ascension to heaven, the Son of God often appeared to the apostles while they were eating. For this purpose, one of the places at the table was always left free, and in the center of the table there was bread for the Savior.

Therefore, over time, they made it a rule to leave bread (artos) in the church on a special table on Holy Sunday.

On Bright Week (the week after Easter), there was a daily procession around the temple with bread, and on Saturday it was divided among the parishioners. Since each family is a small church, gradually the custom of having bread for the Son of God passed on to ordinary people. Believers began to bake tall, round dough products, which they began to call kulichs, which translated from Greek means round bread. The presence of such a product on the table means that this house was visited by the ascended Lord.

The round shape of the Easter cake is not accidental, since it is believed that the blanket in which Jesus was wrapped on his deathbed (shroud) was round shape. Before his death, the Son of God, together with his disciples, ate only unleavened dough, and after the resurrection - risen dough. That is why rich yeast dough is used to bake Easter cake.

The traditional dishes for this holiday also include lamb - a symbol of the Lamb of God, which was sacrificed for human sins. In some countries, baked lamb is the main Easter treat. Various types of food are also baked in the shape of this animal. confectionery.

There are many answers to the question of why Easter cakes are baked and eggs are painted. Despite numerous and contradictory versions about the origin of this tradition, it is sacred to the entire Christian world and for many years, recipes for Easter treats have been passed down in secret from generation to generation.

The great holiday of Easter is a joyful day for believers when Jesus rose from the dead and all our sins were dissolved.

It is no coincidence that a chicken egg is one of the symbols of this holiday. But where did the tradition of painting it come to us? There are several versions on this matter.

Household necessity to dye eggs at Easter

After accepting Christianity, believers adhered to Lent and did not eat eggs for six weeks. But the chickens still laid eggs, and people wanted to save food. They were boiled and colored red with onion skins or beets. It was convenient. It was so easy to distinguish raw eggs from boiled ones.

Why eggs are painted for Easter - the theory about Mary Magdalene

After the resurrection of Jesus, she came to the Roman Emperor Tiberius with this good news. In those distant times, it was necessary to bring a gift to the royal person in order to get an audience. Since Maria did not belong to the wealthy class, she offered the emperor a chicken egg as a gift. He laughed and replied that he would believe in resurrection if it turned red. And so it happened, in his hands the egg changed color.

The tradition of ancient ancestors to paint eggs for Easter

The ancestors of all the peoples of the world revered the egg as a symbol of the birth of the Universe and the new life of any creature. So the egg symbolizes the eternal life hidden inside it.

Paint eggs for Easter as a toy for a child

The mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, in order to amuse the child with a toy, colored eggs and offered them for fun. She was poor, so there were no other options for toys for the baby.

Why eggs are dyed for Easter - the theory about the egg merchant

During the procession of the guards and Jesus to Calvary, a merchant passed next to them, carrying a whole basket of eggs to the market for sale. He saw that Jesus had fallen under the weight of his cross and hurried to help him, leaving the basket by the side of the road. And when he returned, he saw a miracle - all the eggs turned red. The merchant decided to simply distribute them to family and friends as a symbol of a great miracle.

The Apostle Paul and his disciples - another theory why eggs are colored

Once upon a time, in one city, Paul and his disciples were just going around preaching. Among the residents of that city there were also ill-wishers of the Christian faith. They waylaid Paul and his disciples and began throwing stones at them. But the latter began to turn into red eggs in flight. So people believed in the power and truth of the teachings of Christ.

Easter eggs are painted as a symbol of life

For Christians, the egg symbolizes the Holy Sepulcher, and its red color symbolizes the resurrection.

There is also a version that the red eggs are stones at the entrance to the grotto where Jesus was buried. These stones changed color after the resurrection and symbolized the innocent blood of Christ shed for the sins of all mankind.

This is useful material on the topic of why eggs are painted for Easter. If you want to quickly find out when and on what day they do this, then we will answer right away - on Maundy Thursday or on Holy Saturday.

When to paint eggs for Easter and why

Under no circumstances should you dye eggs on Good Friday (the day of the Great Tribulation when Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross). If you are wondering where the tradition came from and when is the best time to paint, then read our material further.

Read in a separate article whether it is possible to bake Easter cakes and paint eggs on Good Friday and why. This is a very sad day when they remember the events of the morning - the execution of Jesus Christ, his martyrdom on the cross, his removal from the cross and burial. The day is worth spending in peace, prayer and mourning.

In search of ways to paint eggs for Easter, you can read articles on this topic on our website, where a variety of coloring options are described in detail, with photos and videos:

Marble eggs in onion skins with green stuff.
How to color eggs with beets.
We paint the eggs with onion skins with a pattern.
Ways to easily color eggs at home without chemicals.

Why are eggs painted at Easter?

There is still no consensus and exact fact on this issue. There are several common and widely accepted legends. One of them is associated with Mary Magdalene and the Roman Emperor Tiberius.

The Easter basket is assembled: when to bring eggs and Easter cakes to light?

As everyone who has read the Gospel knows, after his death and resurrection, Jesus Christ spent another forty days on earth in the realm of spirit, instructing his disciples and people close to him. He talked about how to spread the Christian faith and what to do next. So Mary Magdalene, having listened to these words, decided to go to Emperor Tiberius and tell the news that the Savior, Christ, who was crucified by order of the emperor (on behalf of the Roman authorities) was resurrected on the third day and announced the victory of life over death. The traditions of that time boiled down to the fact that you couldn’t go to the emperor (no matter how you felt about him) empty-handed. What did poor Mary have with her? Can you guess? Only one egg.

Now it was her turn to communicate with the emperor and she said that Christ was crucified and he died in front of everyone, was buried, but was resurrected on the third day. Tiberius laughed in the woman’s face and made her laugh in front of everyone. He said something to the effect that an ordinary person cannot be resurrected, just as an egg in Mary’s hands cannot turn red. At that very moment, everyone saw that the egg began to turn red and eventually became bright red. Tiberius was only able to say one single phrase, which today on Easter we say to each other: “Truly he is risen.”

There is another very kind and interesting version. When Christ was a boy, he loved chickens very much. His mother Maria collected eggs and painted them for her son. When Christ was crucified and he died as a martyr on the cross, Mary brought Pontius Pilate (the representative of the Roman authorities in Jerusalem, who decided to execute the Savior) a whole basket of painted eggs. She knelt before Pilate, lowered the hem of her dress, and the eggs scattered on the white marble floor as a symbol of a reminder of the dishonest execution.

If we consider the coloring of eggs in a more general and symbolic sense, without connecting it with any specific events, stories and people, then we can refer to the symbol of life. This symbol is the egg from which a chicken is then produced.

When to paint eggs for Easter 2018

Previously, in villages people began to dye eggs during Holy Week, right from Monday, and every day, with the exception of Good Friday, was suitable for this activity. But modern housewives do not prepare this way in advance, so the most suitable days for this task are Thursday or Saturday.

This year the dates coincided so that Holy Saturday falls on the Feast of the Annunciation and will be celebrated on April 7th. We know that on big days church holidays, which is the Annunciation, you cannot do housework and housekeeping. However, in this case, the priests emphasize: if you went to church in the morning, prayed for the holiday and for the Mother of God, then gradually you can begin to do the remaining pre-Easter tasks at home. Including painting eggs, baking Easter, and preparing other dishes little by little.

Advice! Maundy Thursday has always been considered the best day on which eggs are painted for Easter. Because, according to the gospel story, on this evening before his arrest, Jesus gathered his disciples and shared a meal with him. But this is a desirable day, and not strictly obligatory. If, due to work and other matters, you manage to paint eggs on Holy Saturday, you can safely do this and not be afraid of anything.

Under no circumstances should you paint eggs, just like you should do any other household work (in the kitchen, in the garden, or anywhere else) - this is Good Friday. If you can’t dye the testicles another day, then on Friday do it carefully and in a minimal quantity, but only after 15.00 on the day when the shroud will be brought to the center of the temple. Otherwise, put off painting and other household Easter preparations for Holy Saturday. It’s better to get up early to get everything done.

Easter in 2018 falls on April 8th. On this day, Orthodox believers will give each other decorated eggs. Read what the Easter egg symbolizes and where this tradition came from in our Questions and Answers section.

Why do we paint an Easter egg?

One of the hypotheses for coloring eggs for Easter is associated with Mary Magdalene. So, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Mary decided to convey this good news to Emperor Tiberius himself. It was impossible to go to the emperor without gifts, but she had nothing, she was symbolic gift I took a chicken egg with me. She chose a chicken egg, as it always symbolized life, a new stage in development. And when Mary told the emperor that Jesus Christ had risen, the emperor laughed hard and said: “This is as impossible as your white egg turning into red.” Immediately after his words, the chicken egg brought by Maria turned red. The color red symbolizes the blood shed on the cross by Jesus.

Another version of Easter egg coloring says that the Virgin Mary painted eggs to entertain Jesus Christ when he was still a baby.

One of the vital and interesting versions of eating and coloring eggs is very simple. During fasting, believers greatly limit themselves in food, and to prevent eggs from being spoiled, they were boiled after forty days of fasting. In order to distinguish a boiled egg from a raw one and not accidentally eat a slightly spoiled one, it was colored during cooking by adding a variety of dyes.

What does the Easter egg mean?

In Christianity, the Easter egg is a symbol of the Holy Sepulcher, in which eternal life was hidden. In Palestine, tombs were built in caves, and the entrance was closed with a stone, which was rolled away when the deceased was to be laid down. Tradition says that the stone with which the tomb of Jesus Christ was closed resembled an egg in outline. We know what's hidden under the egg's shell new life. Therefore, for Christians, the Easter egg is a reminder of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, salvation and eternal life. The red color that eggs are most often painted in represents the suffering and blood of Christ.

What does the color of the egg mean?

red symbolizes eternal life and shed blood in the name of human salvation.

green identifies good health and revitalization of all living things with the arrival of spring.

brown- a symbol of fertile land and prosperity.

yellow– a sunny shade means wealth, and also protects against dark forces and temptation.

orange– absence of melancholy and despondency, which is a mortal sin.

blue personifies heaven and the abode of angels.

It is also customary for Catholics to paint and give eggs for Easter. In the Catholic tradition, it is customary to give not only painted chicken eggs, but also chocolate ones.

Today it is impossible to imagine the bright holiday of Easter without traditional Easter cakes with sweet powder and colored eggs. They are the ones who need to be dedicated to the church and be the first to partake and break the fast after Great and Strict Lent.

But few people know where the tradition of dyeing eggs for Easter came from and why they chose this particular product among many other options. Today, instead of traditional colored eggs, you can see them in special stickers, which children love. After all, the egg is in pictures from all sides, which the child loves to look at for a long time. It would be nice to tell your child where the tradition of painting and consecrating eggs came from, and to find out about it yourself.

Easter traditions: why did you choose the egg?

There are a huge number of opinions about when they started painting eggs for Easter and who introduced this custom. Among them there are Christian versions, as well as pagan and even quite everyday ones. For example, in ancient times, so that eggs did not disappear during the 40-day Great and Strict Lent, they were boiled. But in order not to confuse them with raw ones, they were colored in onion skins or any other natural dye. After which, such eggs could easily be stored for a long period of time.

According to legend, Mary Magdalene, who is highly revered in the Christian faith, having learned about the resurrection of Christ, decided to convey this good news to Tiberius, the Roman emperor. In those days, it was customary to come to the emperor with a gift, but having nothing but an egg, the saint presented it as a gift. At Mary’s words, the emperor just burst out laughing and said that it was easier for this egg to turn red than for Christ to escape from the shackles of death. As soon as he said these words, the egg immediately turned red, which is why people began to paint eggs red, which is interpreted as a sign and proof that Christ conquered death.

There is also a legend that speaks of the Jews gathering for a meal after the execution of Jesus Christ. At the table, one of the Jews reminded the table diners that in exactly 3 days, Christ must rise again. But the other only laughed at these words and, in turn, objected that this would happen before the cooked chicken lying in front of them came to life and the boiled eggs on the table turned red. In a moment, the eggs turned scarlet, and the chicken turned from fried to alive.

The third version says that even in infancy, Christ played with eggs that the Virgin Mary herself painted for him as toys.

The Easter egg in Rus' has always had great meaning, since life was born in it. After the consecration, it was laid out on overgrown oats, wheat or lettuce leaves, which were specially grown for this purpose. Throughout the entire Easter week (week), it was customary to give such eggs to each other, go on a visit with them and put them on the festive table.

The blessed eggs were kept for a whole year, until next Easter and they never spoiled. In Optina Hermitage there was a monk who, among two others, was killed on Easter. Every Easter he broke his fast with last year's egg, as proof that Christ was indeed Risen!

Why are eggs painted red for Easter and how to do it?

Known large number methods of coloring eggs, both artificial and natural dyes. Eggs that had one color were called dyed eggs or galunkas. In order to give the egg a natural red tint, you must use peeled onion peels, which our grandmothers used to paint eggs. To obtain a different color, it was necessary to use a variety of decoctions from the corresponding plants.

Today you can buy a huge number of dyes that can give eggs a variety of colors. But you shouldn’t get too carried away with them, because all artificial colors are not in the best possible way may affect the well-being of your loved ones, especially children. If you want to somehow diversify your Easter basket, you should pay attention to special stickers for eggs, which have become very popular in recent years. But the most traditional Easter egg is the boiled red one.

Why did this particular color become traditional and not some other? The fact is that it is the red color that symbolizes the blood of the Savior, who suffered for our sins and was crucified on the cross. By coloring the eggs red, we honor his memory.

To give the egg a traditional red color, you need to take onion peels from 5-6 large or medium-sized onions, place them in a container of water and boil along with the eggs for 7-8 minutes. Onion peels will not only give a beautiful red hue to the eggs, evenly covering them on all sides, but will also strengthen the shell. That is why, when coloring eggs with natural dyes, you will rarely see cracked shells or leaked whites.

To give the egg a different shade, such as purple, make beetroot broth.

You need to chop the beets (you can cut them into cubes), place them in a container with water and put raw eggs there so that the water barely covers them. Also boil for 7-8 minutes and remove to cool completely.

For a blue tint, you need to boil the cabbage, but only the red color. We do everything exactly the same as with beets. Only chopped cabbage needs to be boiled until it turns completely white. So she will give her natural colors to the water, which will color the eggs in the color we need.

What day is it customary to paint eggs for Easter?

Housewives always prepare in advance for the bright holiday of Easter. General cleaning of the house is carried out, all the accumulated rubbish for the year is thrown out, everything is washed and ironed. Since Easter always takes place in the spring, it is also a period of renewal and new hopes. On this holiday, you can always feel some special joyful and bright spirit that lights up people’s eyes in a new way.

The last week of Great Lent is the most strict. And all the main preparations fall on Maundy Thursday. It is on this day that it is customary to wash your face with the first rays of light. rising sun, bake Easter cakes and paint eggs. On Good Friday, Orthodox Christians abstained from food, fervently prayed to the Lord and did not do any housework, devoting everything to free time prayer.

After the consecration of Easter, the first thing when arriving home was the festive meal. People broke their fast with a blessed Easter cake and an egg. There is a game where people took eggs and smashed them against each other. Anyone whose egg remained intact could count on good year. Such games remain especially popular among children.

As you prepare for the holiday of Easter, remember that your thoughts should remain pure and joyful. It is necessary to think not only about festive table, but also take care of your soul and once again pray for yourself and your loved ones. After all, everyone is rewarded according to his faith.

Christ is risen!

How to paint eggs for Easter

Easter history and traditions

How eggs are painted for Easter - what color and why was last modified: July 8th, 2017 by Bogolub