Lithuanian Christian Holiday (Easter) Object: "Marguciai"

This is a Lithuanian Christian Easter egg. Decoration of Easter eggs in Lithuania is a custom dating from the early 13th century. Painting Easter eggs is an especially beloved tradition in the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches where the eggs are often dyed red to represent the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross.

In Lithuania, decorated eggs were considered to have magical properties. Farmers placed an egg in the first furrow ploughed in spring to ensure a good harvest. People in the countryside, even in recent times, believed that decorations added to the existing mystical powers of the egg. A decorated egg afforded its owner protection from life's disasters and brought luck and fortune. People buried decorated eggs at the threshold of their front doors as a way of protecting their families and homes. Decorated eggs were also buried in the stable to protect the animals and in the fields to assure a plentiful harvest, and in the orchard to make the trees fruitful. 

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As part of the Easter season, the death of Jesus Christ is commemorated on Good Friday, the Friday preceding Easter. In many cultures around the world, the egg is a symbol of new life, fertility and rebirth. For Christians, the Easter egg is symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Christian faith is based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus or Christ. Jesus, (7–2 BC/BCE – 30–36 AD/CE), is the central figure of Christianity. Most Christian denominations venerate him as God the Son.

The principal sources of information regarding Jesus are the four canonical gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The gospels declare that Jesus was a Jew born in Bethlehem, in the Roman province of Judea. At the age of 30, he began to preach throughout Palestine, which was then under Roman rule. The gospels describe miracles that Jesus performed such as raising the dead.

Most critical historians agree that Jesus was a Jew who was regarded as a teacher and healer. He was crucified in Jerusalem, on the orders of the Roman Prefect of Judaea, on the charge of sedition against the Roman Empire. Christians believe that Jesus then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, from which he will return.
Source:
Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition) "Jesus Christ." Children's Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2010. 297. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 July 2013. Document URL: http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lapl.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE|CX1796500200&v=2.1&u=lapl&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus http://christianity.about.com/od/holidaytips/qt/whatiseaster.htm Barooah, Jahnabi. “Easter Eggs: History, Origin, Symbolism and Traditions”. The Huffington Post. Updated 03/31/2013. Document URL: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/02/easter-eggs-history-origin-symbolism-tradition_n_1392054.html http://thelithuanians.com/bookthelithuanians/node38.html http://poohoney.com/eggs.htm “Lithuanian Easter Eggs: Lithuanina Decorating Traditions”. Arizona Chapter of Lithuanian-American Community, Inc. 30 June 2013. Document URL: http://www.lithaz.org/arts/eggs/lit/methods.html