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Which foods traditionally marked the end of the Lenten fast at Easter?
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Easter
Resurrection of Christ, oil on wood panel by Raphael, 1499–1502; in the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 52 × 44 cm.
Since the 12th century, the Lenten fast has traditionally concluded on Easter with meals featuring foods that had been blessed for the occasion. These celebratory foods include:1
Additionally, the consumption of lamb is a significant Easter tradition. While the lamb is associated with the "Lamb of God" in Christian scripture, the practice also draws from the sacrificial animal used in the Jewish Passover ritual. In antiquity, Christians would place lamb meat under the altar to be blessed before eating it on Easter.21