English: SHAPING THE EASTER BUNNY The ancient Greeks thought rabbits could reproduce as virgins. Such a belief persisted until early medieval times when the rabbit became associated with the Virgin Mary, appearing in manuscripts and paintings where the Virgin Mary was depicted. Rabbits, known for their intense breeding, have traditionally symbolised fertility. A bunny was the animal symbol of Ēostre, the Saxon Goddess of fertility. The celebrations of this fertility deity by the Germanic peoples of Europe were held on the day of the spring equinox – the passing of winter and the beginning of spring. Today the bunny is a symbol of Easter, the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Easter celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, three days after he was executed, and is central to Christian theology and belief. At Easter, long-eared chocolate bunnies take over the world in various shapes and personalities. They entice the imagination of children and the child in all of us, awaiting the moment of that first bite, ears first. Português: ESCULPINDO O COELHINHO DA …