WVU photo Some modern scholars came to believe that Easter’s secular symbols may have come from Christianity.

MORGANTOWN — The bunny trail might just start at the cross, according to a West Virginia University religious studies expert.

While many assume egg hunts and the Easter Bunny have pagan origins,  Aaron Gale, associate professor in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, explains how modern scholars came to believe that Easter’s secular symbols may have come from Christianity.

“At this time of year, we see symbols of Easter displayed everywhere,” Gale said. “Two of the most common are the bunny and the egg. While many people use those symbols to prove that the Easter holiday is not entirely ‘Christian,’ recent scholarship has challenged these conclusions.

“The word ‘Easter’ has been connected to two ancient pagan goddesses: Ishtar and Eostre, probably because the words sound similar. However, there is no definitive evidence that Ishtar, a Mesopotamian goddess of love and fertility, or Eostre, a vague spring Anglo-Saxon/Germanic goddess serve as the basis for the name of the holiday.

“A Christian monk named Bede, writing about 1,300 years ago, reveals that Eostre’s name may have been used for the name of a month called something like Eosturmonath, which roughly approximates to the month of April. It’s likely that the month associated with Eostre may be where the name ‘Easter’ actually comes from,” Gale said.

“Many countries throughout the world do not even call the holiday ‘Easter.’ The name of the holiday related to Jesus’ resurrection is referred to by derivatives of the Greek term for Passover (‘Pascha’). In Brazil, the holiday is called Pascoa, and in Italy, it is Pasqua.

“The Bible says nothing about Easter eggs, the Easter Bunny, or even the holiday as we know it today of Easter itself. There is one disputed reference to Easter in the King James Version, which is likely a mistranslation from the Greek text,” Gale said. “Scholars, therefore, have linked these symbols to ancient pagan themes such as fertility and the coming of spring. However, there is little actual evidence linking these themes to the Christian holiday beyond the concept of the renewal of life.

“A connection made between European bunnies and a ‘non-sexual birth’ led to them being associated with the Virgin Mary, though the theories that they could conceive without intercourse or while already pregnant were later proven false. One way we know the connection is true comes from a surviving medieval artwork showing Mary frolicking with the bunnies.

“During Lent, many foods, including meat and eggs, were not allowed to be consumed by early Christians. By Easter, they were eager to enjoy their favorite foods again, but the meat would have often spoiled. However, chickens continued to lay eggs throughout Lent, and they were quite plentiful. As a token of thanks and celebration for Easter, people began exchanging and decorating them.

“In the United States, the concept of the Easter Bunny may have arrived via German immigrants as early as the 1700s. It became a widespread tradition in the 19th century, bringing the colorful Easter eggs we know today.”