The egg appears in many ancient traditions as a symbol for life, or life's beginnings. In medieval Europe, eggs were often one of the first foods — blessed by a priest of course — eaten after the Lenten fast. The practice of dyeing eggs can be traced back to early Greek and Syrian Christians, who exchanged crimson eggs "to represent the blood of Christ," write Priscilla Sawyer and Daniel J. Foley in Easter Garland. German and Austrian immigrants later brought the practice to America.