On Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:55:25 -0600, "jmcquown" >
wrote:

>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> I was in Byerly's earlier in the week and damn near had a stroke. I
>> was looking for lamb shanks. I've never cooked them but order them
>> out when I can. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! They were something like
>> $15/lb. What they had were frozen (individually) and large --
>> running between $10 and $14 EACH. Is this "what they cost?" Call
>> the paramedics.
>
>Must be because Easter is coming. I normally get two nice meatly lamb
>shanks for about $2.99/lb (it's been a while since I bought any). What's
>the big deal about lamb and Easter?

In a word, Passover.

This year it begins at sunset on Monday April 2nd and ends at sunset on
the 9th in Israel (the 10th outside). Roasted lambs shanks is one of
the traditional dishes served at the first night Seder.

Christ died before sunset of the day the Passover began and is
symbolically the 'sacrificial lamb' for Christians. Harkening back to
the first Passover where a lamb was sacrificed on that day, its blood
spread on the lintel to save the faithful from the wrath of the angel of
death, and the lamb consumed before midnight.