The Tradition of Cracking Easter Eggs amongst Armenians

For Armenians, Easter eggs are prepared by boiling fresh eggs and dying them using the outer skins of yellow onions. Throughout the eight weeks of the Lenten Fast and Holy Week which precede Easter, Armenians must abstain from many foods, especially fleshy meats. Therefore, the fasting period is replete with traditionally vegetarian dishes, most of which require a substantial quantity of onions. So, over the course of eight weeks, Armenian households accumulate large quantities of onion skins, which in turn are the basis for the preparation of the Easter eggs. Effectively, out of the bitterness of the onions, which signify our self-mortification during Lent, we shall enjoy the sweetness of the joy of the Resurrection.

As the eggs are boiled in the mixture of water and yellow onion skins, the skins emit a natural dye and a tangy flavour to the eggs. The outer shell turns brick-red in colour and the inside white and yolk absorb the sharp taste. The exterior colour of these onion-skin dyed eggs also reminds us of the exterior of the rock-hewn tomb into which the bloodied body of Jesus was buried.

Crack!

This sound on Easter morning is the triumphal echo of the cracking open of the stone which had been rolled in front of the sepulcher to attempt to seal the body of Jesus inside.

Once the exterior of the egg has been cracked open, we see the white part of the boiled egg.

Thae women who took the oil and spices to the tomb looked inside and saw the white shroud which had been used to wrap the body of Jesus. When we set aside the folds of the egg-white, we find the golden yolk. The yolk is the essence of Life and the Sign of the Resurrection. Jesus' death and burial trampled the darkness of death under foot, and His golden Resurrection gives to us all the Hope of eternal Life.

So, my dear friends, when you approach one another holding your red Easter egg, greet one another as you crack the egg, remembering the sound of that first 'Crack!' and rejoice in your hearts with the angelic announcement:

'Christ is risen from the dead!'