*Aeusos or Ushas is believed to have been the Goddess of dawn. This Goddess is so important that her name has several applications usually relating to the sun; the stars, especially Venus; hearth fires; and a class of Gods that ‘shine with a golden light’.
In many countries this Goddess is celebrated with a festival in March, usually on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.
In English the festival is known as Easter, the way you pronounce the Anatolian version of the goddess’s name, Ishtar.
Many European countries have traditions involving eggs. In most, they are hard–boiled and painted hens’ eggs, not chocolate ones. A good source of these old traditions is the Weistumer of the german speaking countries. These local bylaws indicated that the giving and painting of eggs was a pagan practice that earned disapproval. Later records indicate that the eggs were blessed in the church.
It seems clear that if you can’t eliminate pagan practice, the Christian Church had learned that you might as well make it your own.
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