May I post here so that you can help a Religious Scientist?

[Maat]

This one instance?

I need help for next Sunday. My church pal is organizing a service to celebrate the Spring Equinox? We are attempting to do something beyond just celebrating Easter the following week.

By way of explanation, I am a Religious Scientist (a member of a progressive religion like Unitarian-Universalist).

We support all paths to God (Gods/Goddesses/Spirit/the-One-Intelligence).

Is the Spring Equinox the same as Easter?

I am aware that Easter is basically ripped off of a Pagan holiday.

Which one?

We would like the service to do justice. Of course, it will not be as sophisticated as we would like, probably.

Any good links or advice?

Is there an appropriate poem to read?

I support my neopagan and Native American spiritual friends to the maximum.

Thanks.

[Beaverhausen]

1. Witchvox is a great website for this kind of information

Here is a link to an article about Ostara:

http://www.witchvox.com/holidays/ostara/ostara_details.html

Hope this helps- and happy spring to you! :hi:

edit: here is another one called "You call it Easter, we call it Ostara:

http://www.witchvox.com/holidays/ostara/ostarahistory.html

Like I said this website has TONS of info.

[Maat]

2. Thanks so much.

I'll get started. This really helps.

Ignorance does not help. It really hurts. So, it is my goal to educate myself and my 8-year-old daughter with respect to belief-systems/religions/faiths.

Onward we go!

Take care!

Brightest blessings to you and your family (that's a good thing to say, right?)!

[LiberalEsto]

3. The date of Easter

Coincidentally, I'm leading the Easter/Spring service March 27 at our Unitarian Universalist church. Here are some things I learned while doing research for the service.

The date of (Western Christian) Easter is the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox.

Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the Full Moon after the Spring Equinox and Passover.

The Spring Equinox falls at the astrological entry of the Sun into the sign of Aries. Equinox is about balancing of night and daylight, though the actual date that we have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness - at least here in Maryland -- is March 17, St. Patrick's Day.

Many societies around the world celebrate the beginning of the growing season.

In the ancient Middle East, people celebrated spring with the rites of Venus and Adonis, or Cybele and Attis. Adonis and Attis are both identified as vegetation gods who "die" as grain seeds are buried in the soil, and reborn when the seeds sprout up into the light.

Followers of the Greek Goddess Demeter marked the start of spring as the day on which Demeter's daughter, Persephone, returned from Hades to spend the growing season with her mother.

Christian Easter celebrates the miraculous return to life of Jesus, who was executed and buried in a tomb.

Contemporary Iranians and members of the Baha'i religion celebrate the day of the Spring Equinox - Naw Ruz - as the start of their New Year.

I just got a card from my cousin in Estonia wishing me (in Estonian) a good Spring Holiday, which is what they call Easter.

The word Easter derives from a European pagan goddess called Oestre or Ostara.

Happy Spring/Easter/Naw Ruz/Ostara!

[Maat]

4. Thank you!

More help!