How DID Easter get to be called "Easter" in English when so many other languages call it "Pasch" or "Pasqua" or some other derivation of the Hebrew word "Pesach" (which means Passover)?

There are multiple theories.

The majority theory derives from the Venerable Bede, an 8th Century monk in Britain who said that it derived from the name of an Anglo-Saxon goddess -- Eastre -- who was all about spring and ferility and flowers blooming and such. The idea is not that the Celtic Christians of Britain were celebrating a pagan festival instead of an orthodox Easter but rather that they were keeping the feast of the resurrection of our Lord at the time of the spring festival of Eastre, and (typically) borrowed her name.

Another interesting theory, less widely accepted, is that the name derives from the practice of those newly baptised on Easter Day to wear their white baptismal garments (albs) for the whole of the following week. The week came to be know, in Latin, as "hebdomada alba" or "white week." The theory suggests that this was corrupted to "albae" which, when it was translated into German, was mistaken for the Latin plural for "dawn" and thus rendered in High German as "Eostarum" which the Brits corrupted into Easter.

Who knows?

Whatever you are celebrating this weekend, may it be a happy occasion for you.

Father Steve