the day on which the Christian church commemorates our Saviour’s
resurrection. Easter is a word of Saxon origin, and imports a goddess of
the east. This goddess was Astarte, in honour of whom sacrifices were
annually offered about the passover time of the year, the spring; and
hence the Saxon name “æaster” became attached by association of ideas to
the Christian festival of the resurrection.
resurrection. Easter is a word of Saxon origin, and imports a goddess of
the east. This goddess was Astarte, in honour of whom sacrifices were
annually offered about the passover time of the year, the spring; and
hence the Saxon name “æaster” became attached by association of ideas to
the Christian festival of the resurrection.