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	PYSANKY: THE GOOD EGG, SYMBOL OF FERTILITY AND NEW LIFE
	By Angela Vasquez, Staff Writer, U-Daily News - L.A. LIFE Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles, California, April 17 2003 Easter is the Christian celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection after crucifixion. The egg is associated with Easter as a symbol of fertility and new life. Painted eggs have been a part of human tradition before Christianity, as representation of the colors of spring and life; they were decorated and given as gifts. The practice was incorporated by Christians with new meaning. Easter eggs were originally painted red to symbolize the blood of Christ. In Greece and Serbia, hard-boiled eggs are still painted red. Slavics decorate eggs in special patterns of gold and silver. In parts of Germany and Austria, green eggs are used on Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday). Egg decorated with a traditional scene of Ukrainian carolers on Christmas Eve by the late artist Nina Watson. In the photo in the background from left are Janina Watson of Sunnyvale and the late Nina Watson (Mike Mullen / SGVN) Armenians decorate hollow eggs with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary and other religious icons. "Christians have been dyeing eggs red for 2,000 years," said Father Nicholas Ceko of St. Stevens Serbian Orthodox Church in Alhambra. "The egg is an important symbol that is the foundation of Christian faith -- the resurrection." "The egg itself is such a symbol of rebirth and fertility," said Daria Chaikovsky from the Ukrainian Art Center in Los Angeles. "The egg has been used for centuries in many rites and in different ceremonies." Some attribute the first pysanky eggs to the legend of a Cyrenian peddler who came across a man bearing a heavy wooden beam on his shoulders. Egg decorated with crucifix and pussy willows by artist Shirley Buchy of Canada (Mike Mullen / SGVN) The peddler set down his basket of eggs to help the man shoulder his burdens. When he returned his eggs had been transformed into beautiful pysanky, because it is believed the man he assisted was Christ. "Eggs are an ancient custom and when decorated, created their own language," said Chaikovsky. "They were considered insurance policies, like protection from fires or protection for good health." Modern day pysanky involves drawing patterns on eggs with wax. The wax protects the covered areas from the dye that is applied. The process is repeated with different colors of dye, which builds up and produces a multicolored pattern. When the wax is removed the colors that were covered up at each stage are revealed. The symbols and colors used have specific meanings and celebrate Christ and Easter. Egg decorated with flowers to symbolize love, charity, and good will. The artist was Shirley Buchy of Canada (Mike Mullen / SGVN) American Easter eggs are mostly used in games such as Easter egg hunts. The bunny, another icon associated with Easter, is thought to hide the eggs. Church of the Angels in Pasadena is one of many churches that has celebrated the vigil of Easter every year with an Easter egg hunt. They estimate that they will prepare and hide about 700 eggs for this year's hunt on Sunday. "Easter egg hunts didn't start with Jesus and Christians, but eggs are symbolic of new life and Spring," said Father Robert J. Gaestel. "It's fun, that's why we do it." Another common game is the egg roll. Players roll hard boiled eggs to see who can roll the greatest distance without breaking the egg. Egg rolling is considered symbolic of the rolling of the stone that sealed Christ's tomb. The Easter holiday is so meaningful to Americans the South Lawn of the White House is turned into an Easter playground for children every year. The highlight of the event is egg rolling, which began there in 1878 during the term of President Rutherford B. Hayes. This year's event will be smaller on scale in comparison to previous years; those serving in the military and their families will be invited to join in. "Easter eggs are just one of those things in the Christian faith where other cultural things get woven into it," said Father Gaestel. "It's the way we celebrate the universality of what we believe." The center egg is decorated with geometric designs to symbolize prosperity, and never-ending lines around the egg to symbolize eternity. Artists are Luba Perchyshyn of Minneapolis, Minn., Odarka Figlus of Wheat Ridge, Colo. and Adriana Wrzesniewsky of Tustin Hills (Mike Mullen / SGVN) (Click on images to enlarge them) George Borowiez of Buffalo, N.Y., pysanky artist and teacher, decorated an egg, right, with wolf’s teeth and drops to symbolize Mary’s tears (Mike Mullen / SGVN) Kistky (writing tools) to be used with melted wax to write on eggs (Mike Mullen / SGVN) Antique/unique eggs created in the 1940s and ’50s using natural dyes, ancient symbols, and original tools. Eggs from the private collection of Daria Chaikovsky (Mike Mullen / SGVN) By Angela Vasquez, Staff Writer, U-Daily News - L.A. LIFE Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles, California, April 17 2003 Angela Vasquez can be reached at (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2507, or by e-mail at  angela.vasquez@sgvn.com. http://u.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,211~23523~1332418,00.html For personal and academic use only.

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