a question about a tradition

[kamikat]

My mother is Catholic and my father is a lapsed Greek Orthodox. I was raised Catholic, but we always celebrated cultural Greek holidays, ie exchanged small gifts on Epiphany, held a traditional Greek Easter dinner on Greek Easter, in addition to Roman Catholic holidays. While dad no longer attends church of any kind, we still maintain the traditional family dinner. One thing that I have always wondered about was the red eggs We go around the dinner table and crack each others' eggs. The one who has an intact egg remaining has good luck for the year. Where does this tradition come from? Do other people play this game? Thanks!
kamikat

 

[Konstantinos]

I just asked my Grandmother (99 God bless her) about it. She says It is done for Good Luck. Iam Greek dont be Mistaken by the flag ( Is is Istanbul or Constantinople?) I have Lost for the past 4 Paschas though Konstantinos.

 

[Julio]

The custom of having red eggs blessed on Pascha comes from the tradition that St Mary Magdalen brought an egg to Emperor Tiberius to explain to him the resurrection of the dead. He said that it would be as impossible for someone to rise form the dead as for that egg she had in her hands to turn red. Of course, the egg at one turned bright red. This is why she's always depicted in the icons holding a red egg, and why we bless them on the Day of Resurrection.

The traditional game that involves hitting them against each other for one of them to crack is a reminder of the breaking open of Christ's tomb at the Resurrection. This why the one whose egg cracks says, "Christ is risen!" (Christos Anesti!), and the other person answers, "Indeed He is risen!" (Alithos anesti!).

I hope this helps!

 

[Julio]

I just asked my Grandmother (99 God bless her) about it. She says It is done for Good Luck. Iam Greek dont be Mistaken by the flag ( Is is Istanbul or Constantinople?) I have Lost for the past 4 Paschas though Konstantinos.

Then you ought to play with me; I'm ALWAYS the one who says "Alithos anesti". Even when I play against little kids.

 

[sin_vladimirov]

Orthodox serbs do it also.... and just for the record, these eggs taste so good.

 

[Maximus]

Orthodox serbs do it also.... and just for the record, these eggs taste so good.

I agree! I crack as many of them as I can.

 

[Konstantinos]

Then you ought to play with me; I'm ALWAYS the one who says "Alithos anesti". Even when I play against little kids

Me too! My 4 year old daughter beat me!!! Yes those eggs do taste Good !! Konstantinos.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

Is is Istanbul or Constantinople?

Clearly Constantinople.

But seriously, as an Orthodox, I always refer to it as Cosntantinople and forget that this is just (now) OUR name for it when referring to it in the context of the Church. Without thinking I am pretty sure if someone said "Quick, what's the biggest city in Turkey?" I would respond back with Constantinople. Not even out of protest, you're just "trained" as an Orthodox to refer to it that way. I prefer it this way though

John

 

[MariaRegina]

Clearly Constantinople.

But seriously, as an Orthodox, I always refer to it as Cosntantinople and forget that this is just (now) OUR name for it when referring to it in the context of the Church. Without thinking I am pretty sure if someone said "Quick, what's the biggest city in Turkey?" I would respond back with Constantinople. Not even out of protest, you're just "trained" as an Orthodox to refer to it that way. I prefer it this way though

John

I agree.

 

[gtsecc]

Someone please tell me more about the red egg. that is fantastic. More more more, please.

 

[Vasya Davidovich]

Ditto. Never seen it done.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

I'm not too much into the game, but the kids are so I play it with them. There's nothing really to it. You both have (red) hard-boiled eggs. both of you take the pointy ends of the eggs and smack the two ends against eachother. Only one will crush in why the other stays intact and, so the game goes, the one that is intact in the end wins... wins a... place in the "My egg didn't break" Hall of Fame in the Orthodox Church... yeah

Then you just keep playing with that same egg until or unless your egg breaks.

It's kind of like the wishbone thing. It's just a game. No religious significance to it.

Please anyone, fill in the gaps or correct me where I've mistaken.

John

 

[kamikat]

Clearly Constantinople.

But seriously, as an Orthodox, I always refer to it as Cosntantinople. Not even out of protest, you're just "trained" as an Orthodox to refer to it that way. I prefer it this way though

John

You don't even have to be Orthodox to refer to it as Constantinople. My dad and Popou always refered to it as Constantinople. Then it was quickly followed by something like "those dirty Turks", then they'd spit on the ground.
kamikat

 

[Xpycoctomos]

Then it was quickly followed by something like "those dirty Turks", then they'd spit on the ground.
kamikat

Oh, well, I guess I wouldn't feel comfortable saying that. lol As I said... I really don't say it on purpose out of protest. It just naturally comes out Constantinople. I mean, I fully realize that legally it is called Istanbul and nothing I am going to do will or should change that. That's just how history is. We stole the Native American's Land... it was wrong, we have a marred history becasue of it bla bla bla.. but that's just reality now. Same with Constantinople. It is truly instambul even though in my heart it will always be Constantinople.

John