Christian Year

DATE OF EASTER

Easter Day is a so-called “movable feast” because it is not on the same date every year.

It is clear from the gospels that the events of Good Friday and Easter Day happened at the time of the Jewish Passover.

Passover starts on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nisan. However, when that month (along with the other months of the Jewish calendar) occurs is historically determined by the phases of the moon. Hence Passover can start on any of the days between 26 March and 25 April (in the modern Gregorian calendar).

This caused confusion in the early Christian Church as different groups tried to choose an appropriate date for Easter each year. To try to resolve the issue, the Council of Nicaea (in the year 325AD) decided upon the following method which is still in use. You start with the vernal equinox (21 March). If there is not a full moon on this day, you move to when the next full moon occurs. You finally move to the following Sunday. And this is Easter Day. It can be any date between 22 March and 25 April.

Unfortunately the Council of Nicaea did not get it exactly right and there are still years when Easter and Passover fail to coincide.

As they depend upon the date of Easter, Ash Wednesday and all the Sundays in Lent are also movable feasts.