With this and that, we have reached Maundy Thursday, the day after tomorrow is the Resurrection and on Sunday Easter. Under other circumstances, Greek customs are many, from rocket warfare, balloons, carols, dance performances, liturgies, decorating and parading the Epitaph, the effigy of Judas, the painting and beating of eggs and many more, since in every region of Greece there is something special. Due to circumstances, this year we will not have the Easter that we all know, but that does not mean that at least the customs that we can, we will not observe.
Today is Maundy Thursday, the day of the Last Supper, where Christ offered bread and wine as a symbol of His body and blood, ready to be sacrificed to free the world from the bondage of sin. The custom today commands us to dye the Easter eggs.
Do you know why eggs are dyed red and how good it is to add a boiled egg to your daily diet outside of Easter?
What does the egg symbolize?
The egg, according to tradition, symbolizes the tomb of Christ, which was hermetically sealed, just like the egg’s shell, but it hid the “Life” inside, since Jesus came out of it and rose from the dead.
Why red?
White, red, yellow, blue and any other colour we like, we now dye our eggs at Easter.
Since ancient times in Rome, China, Egypt and Greece, we find coloured eggs, rabbits, chickens and all these, which were donated in spring festivals as symbols of fertility and life. Of all the colours, how did you choose red?
One of the most accepted explanations is that red symbolizes the blood and sacrifice of Jesus. The other interpretations have as their protagonists three women: the Virgin Mary, Magdalene and an unbelieving anonymous woman.
One explanation often given is that the Virgin Mary took a basket of eggs and offered them to the guardians of her Son, begging them to treat him well… When her tears fell on the eggs, they turned red! Another story connects the colour red with Mary Magdalene. When the Roman emperor was informed of Christ’s resurrection, he thought it was as unlikely “as the eggs being dyed red. “Mary Magdalene then dyed some red eggs and took them to him to confirm the fact.
A variation of the above story has a woman not believing the news of Jesus’ resurrection and saying: “When the eggs I am holding turn red, then Jesus will also rise”. And then these became red”!
Add one boiled egg a day to your diet and you will see your body, mind and body working even better. Eggs are rich in vitamin D, which helps with calcium absorption. They contain selenium and zinc, antioxidants that remove harmful substances from the body and are an ideal food for women who want to have children, as they contain vitamin B9, which is vital for the health of the fetus.
Because of their high phospholipid content, eggs strengthen the liver so that it can handle toxic substances. Among other things, eggs boost the production of serotonin, which also helps mental health by boosting our mood.
And as if that wasn’t enough, eggs are low in calories, so you can eat them even if you’re on a diet.
Good chugging and remember one egg a day can make the doctor go away.
