A touching legend tells us that when Jesus was a boy at Nazareth He met a Roman lad by the name of Fidus, who confided this desire: “I am looking for Joseph, the carpenter. From him I want to learn the arts of his craft.”

    “I can lead you to him,” answered Jesus, “for I am called the Son of Joseph.”

As Fidus watched and learned from Joseph, Jesus told him of a great King who would one day be raised upon a throne so high that all the world would see.

    Fidus exclaimed:

“Would that I might build the exalted throne of the great King!” “Fidus,” said Jesus, “you will be the one to build the throne of the great King, the throne from which He shall rule the nations. I promise you.”

Years passed, Fidus went home to Jaffa and practiced his trade with honor. He happened to return to Jerusalem on a day when the Jewish capitol was in an uproar. He could hear cries of: “Crucify Him! He makes Himself a King.”

As he passed the gate of Pilate’s palace, a Roman soldier who knew the skill of Fidus greeted him: “You are especially welcome, Fidus. Three are to be crucified today, and only two crosses are prepared.”

Fidus was assigned the task. He put all his skill into its making, and viewed his finished product with pride. Later he followed the crowd outside the town and up a hill. He heard a voice, a voice he could never forget. Looking closely he saw a figure, a figure he could never forget. Yes, it was the Boy of Nazareth, now a Man, but writhing in agony on the “throne” Fidus had made. His eyes were opened.

– Unknown

Easter - What's in a Name

While the date of Easter and the event has a biblical basis, the same may not be said of the name for the holiday. The early church worshiped on the first day of the week (Sunday) because it was "The Lord's Day," that is, the Day of Resurrection. Thus every Sunday is a celebration of Jesus' resurrection. In the sub-Apostolic age, at the end of the first century, an annual commemoration of the Resurrection was established. It was simply called Pascha; the Greek translation of the Hebrew festival of Passover. This was the season at which Christ's death and resurrection took place. Because the word Pascha is very similar to the Paschein, the Greek verb meaning "to suffer," many Christians mistakenly thought the festival meant "suffering."

At one time it was thought that the word Easter had its origins from the English word Ostara or Eastre, the Germanic goddess of Earth and Spring. This was suspected because many of the secular Easter traditions are based on heathen fertility rites and celebrations. Also the words are very similar sounding to Easter. According to the Venerable Bede, Christian historian and theologian, writing in the 8th century, the name "Easter" is from the festival of Oestre (sometimes spelled "Estre"), pronounced "Eestruh", the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring, Fertility and New Life.

More recent studies seem to indicate that Easter is more likely derived from the Latin phrase 'hebdomada alba.' This was the old term for Easter week based upon the wearing of white robes by the newly baptized. The octave of Easter, the following week, was known as 'post albas,' the time when the white robes were put away. Thus Easter means "white" and was so named from early Christian baptismal practices.

... more tomorrow

Sources: The Dictionary of Bible and Religion, William Gentz | The Bible Almanac, White
| Easter a Pictorial Pilgrimage - Pierre Benoit |

Easter Quotations

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.

       —   Martin Luther
   

Rise heart: thy Lord is risen. Sing His praise
Without delays,
Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise
With Him mayst rise:
That, as His death calcined the to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and much more, just.  

George Herbert, The Church: Easter