History of the Easter Egg

According to the ancient tradition of the East, Mary Magdalene was a wealthy woman from whom Christ expelled seven “demons.” During the three years of Jesus’ ministry she helped support Him and His other disciples with her money. When almost everyone else fled, she stayed with Him at the cross. On Easter morning, she was the first to bear witness to His resurrection. She is called “Equal to the Apostles.” The Eastern tradition tells us that after the Ascension she journeyed to Rome where she was admitted to the Court of Tiberias Caesar because of her high social standing. After describing how poorly Pilate had administered justice at Jesus’ trial, she told Caesar that Jesus had risen from the dead. To help explain His resurrection she picked up an egg from the dinner table. Caesar responded that a human being could no more rise from the dead than the egg in her hand turn red. The egg turned red immediately, which is why red eggs have been exchanged at Easter for centuries in the Byzantine East.