Page 5 - April Mag 2025.Final.4.4.25

SPIRITUAL

Fr. Valerian M. Michlik
GCU Spiritual Advisor

Easter Egg Symbolism

ear Friends: ing dormant it contains a new life sealed within its walls.
For the past fifteen years St. Gregory’s has The idea of the egg as a symbol of fertility and of renewed
had a very successful pre-Lenten event— life goes way back to the ancient Egyptians and Persians
Comedy Night. Every year we pack the who had the custom of coloring and eating eggs during
Dchurch hall with parishioners and guests who their spring festivities. This ancient idea of the signifi-
come to enjoy clean humor and a good time. cance of the egg as a symbol of new life readily became
This year as part of our 15 anniversary, we had a special the symbol of the Resurrection of Christ to the people of
th
raffle which was announced by David Kaye, PGH’s King the early Christian Church. In Christianity, the Paschal egg
of Comedy and a good friend of St. Gregory’s. There was represents the sealed tomb in which the Precious Body
great anticipation about what this year’s “special prize” of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was placed after His
would be. Finally, the moment arrived, and the winner was Crucifixion - the shell being the sealed tomb having dor-
announced. What was the special prize? A dozen of farm mant life within its walls.
fresh eggs. Everyone had a good laugh, knowing that the In Greece and the Middle East, the Christian faithful dye the
reference was to the high prices of eggs and groceries in eggs red because the Roman soldiers put on Jesus Christ a
general. However, and more importantly, we red cloak, as King
were able to find the humor within a difficult of the Jews, while
situation and enjoy the company of one an- they were mock-
other in this pre-Lenten event, and that, in ing and torturing
and of itself, is a WIN. Him.
With Pascha-Easter being celebrated in According to
our parishes and families, we get to cele- another tradition,
brate a major WIN every year! The celebra- the first Easter
tion of the defeat of death, as neither death egg was a gift
itself nor the power of the grave could hold from Saint Mary
our Savior captive. In this victory that came Magdalene to the
through the Cross, Christ broke the bond- Roman Emperor
age of sin and through faith offers us resto- Tiberius. Shortly
ration, transformation and eternal life. after Christ the
I mentioned before that the special “prize” Savior’s Ascen-
at St. Gregory’s Comedy Night was a dozen sion, Mary Mag-
of eggs. For us, one of the most symbolic dalene came to
and beautiful Paschal-Easter customs is the Rome to preach
practice of preparing, giving, and eating the Gospel. In
eggs. Most seem to take the idea of eggs those times, peo-
for granted at Easter. Still, there is the fun in ple coming to
boiling and coloring them, and even more see the emperor
enjoyment in giving them to relatives and friends and were supposed to bring him a present. Wealthy people
cracking the eggs together as the greeting of the Holy used to bring jewelry, while poor people would bring what
Feast is said: “Christ is Risen! Christos Voskrese!” How- they could afford. Therefore, Mary Magdalene, once a no-
ever, the real enjoyment of the Easter eggs comes only ble and rich woman, who then lost everything except her
when the symbolism is realized, and its connection to Res- faith in Christ Our Savior, offered to Emperor Tiberius a
urrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is acknowledged.
The egg itself is a symbol of the Resurrection - while be- CONTINUED on page 11

GCU MAGAZINE APRIL 2025 3