The Romans coined the phrase “Omne vivum ex ovo” (All life comes from an egg).
The egg is a universal symbol of birth and resurrection, employed in burial practices of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, and eventually adopted by Christians in the second century in conjunction with the celebration of Easter.
Though brightly colored eggs remain a traditional Easter element in many countries, they do not figure into the celebration of Pascua, one of Mexico’s most important and solemn religious holidays. Curiously, however, eggs—in the guise of cascarones—are a popular feature of Carnaval (Mardi Gras), which marks the opposite end of the Easter season, as well as a variety of other Mexican festivities.
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