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Painted and\/or decorated eggs are one of the most widespread and symbolically laden elements of Easter \u2013 and not just in the Greek Orthodox faith.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Across the world, the egg is a symbol of new life, fertility and resurrection. In traditional folk beliefs, it is a powerful emblem of fertility, purity and rebirth. It is used in magical sites to promote fertility, restore vitality, foretell the future, bring favorable weather, help crops grow and protect both children and animals from misfortune \u2013 especially from the evil eye. An egg was offered as a sacrifice to bring the earth back to life and to the dead (deposited on top of the grave or buried in the dirt with the deceased) as a symbol of resurrection and to motivate the powers and spirits associated with plant growth.\u2028<\/p>\n
As Christianity started to spread, the egg as a symbol was incorporated into the faith\u2019s religious customs and acquired new layers of meaning, becoming associated with the Resurrection of Christ and life\u2019s victory over death.\u2028<\/p>\n
One common custom back in the day involving an egg was on Cheesefaring or Forgiveness Sunday, the last day dairy is allowed before Lent. A hard-boiled, peeled egg was tied with a piece of spring and suspended from the end of a stick, usually the long, thin roller used for filo pastry. Called \u201chaska,\u201d the game involved swinging the in front of everyone\u2019s mouth, with the winner being whoever manages to take a bite of the prize. Then they\u2019d say, \u201cI end with an egg, and I will start with an egg,\u201d referring to Easter and the red egg.\u2028<\/p>\n
On Lazarus Sunday, the small baskets carried around by children going from house to house singing, were adorned with flowers and greenery and would traditionally be filled with eggs (usually chicken but sometimes duck or, less often, goose). And in Eastern Rumelia, during the reenactment of Lazarus\u2019 resurrection, children would sing \u201cOur little hens lay eggs, and our nests cannot hold them,\u201d with a clear reference to fertility.\u2028<\/p>\n
\nAs Christianity started to spread, the egg as a symbol was incorporated into the faith\u2019s religious customs and acquired new layers of meaning<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
In the Orthodox tradition \u2013 not only in Greece, but also in Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania \u2013 the eggs are dyed on Holy Thursday and they are most commonly dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ but also the joyfulness of his resurrection.\u2028Traditionally, though still practiced in some households to this day, they would be with natural plant-based colors (such as onion skins, madder root, brazilwood and others). They were often decorated or \u201cembroidered\u201d too, using a technique known as \u201cperdikes,\u201d whereby a design would be inlaid on the eggshell before it was dyed with leaves, onion skins, dough, melted wax or some similar material. Today, the eggs are typically dyed with commercial dyes and vinegar.\u2028<\/p>\n
The symbolism of the color red is such that in many parts of Greece, people still hang red cloths \u2013 usually woven on a loom \u2013 from their windows and balconies to ward off evil, while there is no shortage of folktales explaining why eggs are dyed red. According to one folk tradition in Kastoria: \u201cWhen Christ rose from the dead, they told a village woman and she didn\u2019t believe it, so she said: \u2018\u2018When the eggs turn red, only then will Christ be resurrected.\u2019 And they did turn red. And since then, they dye them red.\u201d\u2028<\/p>\n
Many parts of Greece also believed in the miraculous properties of the \u201cfirst egg.\u201d It would have to come from a black hen. It would be placed in the icon stand (and the previous one thrown away into the river) and kept there for seven years, so the yolk would harden, becoming almost like a piece of amber. This was a powerful talisman, especially for the protection of expectant mothers. It was also used to cross the children when they fell ill and was placed in the first furrow when sowing wheat to ensure it came out strong and clean.<\/p>\n
The egg-dying process was also safeguarded by all sorts of protective practices. Only a specific number of eggs would be set aside for dying; the pot had to be new and the dye could not be spilled and had to remain indoors.\u2028In some cases, people send eggs to their local church in a basket so that they can be blessed during the morning service or the Service of the Passion; sometimes a basket of eggs is even deposited under the altar or in the sanctuary until the Resurrection. More often, however, people carry a red egg with them to the Resurrection service so they can be blessed and used for the \u201cChrist is Risen\u201d exchange after receiving the Holy Light. These \u201cblessed\u201d eggs are believed to possess special powers. Their shells are scattered in the garden, at the roots of trees, so that they bear an abundance of fruit.\u2028<\/p>\n
One of the most enduring customs in Greece, however, is the \u201ctsougrisma\u201d of the eggs at the Easter table. Each guest gets an egg, which they tap against another, on both ends, until the one that is left unscathed is considered the lucky winning egg. A similar custom is practiced in the Balkans but also farther north, including in Poland.\u2028Central and Eastern Europe are particularly renowned for their intricate decorations of Easter eggs.<\/p>\n
In Ukraine, for example, the \u201cpysanky\u201d technique involves wax and successive layers of dye, which produce complex geometric patterns laden with symbolism. Similar techniques are employed in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and other countries where decorative eggs are popular works of folk art and valued family heirlooms.\u2028<\/p>\n
Despite local variations, the Easter egg remains a powerful symbol of rebirth and hope, a tradition that reflects the meeting of older nature-based symbolism with the Christian tradition of the Resurrection of the Lord.\u2028<\/p>\n\n
Evangelos Karamanes is a folklorist and ethnologist, and research director at the Athens Academy\u2019s Hellenic Folklore Research Center. This story first appeared in Kathimerini\u2019s food supplement, Gastronomos.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n