History of Easter eggs from Mary Magdalene to the present day

Egg from primitive times was a symbol of life. Mysterious combination of such a simple form with the ability to hide under it the most complex processes associated with the formation of the organism did not leave indifferent thinking people in all ages.

The story of the Easter eggs began with a visit to Mary Magdalene by the Roman emperor Tiberius. Telling in the lands far away from Palestine about the miraculous resurrection of Christ, she and the apostles often faced disbelief. So it happened this time too. The emperor began to laugh at Mary and, amused, compared the miracle of the resurrection with such an impossible, from his point of view, fact, as an instant change in the color of the white egg donated by her to the red one. Tiberius did not have time to leave a cheerful smile, as the egg grew red in his hands. Whether the Roman ruler of Mary believed it or accepted this miracle for some unknown trick, history is silent, people in general tend to distrust precisely when something real is happening. But for some reason we are willingly imbued with illusions.

This is how the history of Easter eggs began and the tradition of their donation for the feast of Holy Easter arose. At first they were painted exclusively in red, then the palette expanded, adding elegance and a general atmosphere of exultation to the entire festive table. In addition, each color is symbolic: green reflects Easter as a resurrection and the triumph of life, blue - aspiration skyward, yellow - sunlight of faith.

There was a tradition to keep the given symbols all year long - until the next Holy Sunday. But it was not easy to observe it - they are fragile and perishable. The history of Easter eggs was continued by wooden pysankas, artfully decorated with patterns and Christian symbols. Each such work of folk art argued with another in the beauty and craftsmanship of someone who worked with God's help to create it. This gift could be stored for more than one year and admire it in those minutes when I wanted to look at something beautiful.

Like every art, the further development and decoration of the Easter symbols was further developed. The best jewelers, famous for their craftsmanship, took on the job. Easter eggs Faberge - a famous company that won fame thanks to the highest artistic merit of its products - have become a symbol of the era. Impeccable filigree, encrustation, enamel and diamonds combined with filigree mechanisms, filled with works of art. Each of the jewelry masterpieces had its own name and, besides the Easter semantic load, carried a subtext associated with memorable events and dates. The history of Easter eggs of the late XIX and early XX centuries is firmly connected with the name of Carl Faberge, who performed orders of the imperial house. Many of his works can be seen in the Hermitage collection and other world-class museums.

But not everyone is a great jeweler. And it does not matter. Decoration of eggs for Easter with their own hands helps pre-tune in for the upcoming holiday, its joyful and solemn atmosphere. In this business it is possible and necessary to show imagination, the blessing in our days various labels and paints are being sold that facilitate work and give elegance to these indispensable attributes of the Great Day.

Christ is Risen!