Has it ever bugged anyone else that the date of Easter changes all the time?
I find it really weird that a festivity like this, the death and resurrection of Jesus, isn’t celebrated on a fixed date every year.
Apparently, Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. This means that the date can vary anywhere between March 22 and April 25.
The reason there is so much confusion is because our calendar does not match when the moon is at its fullest, and when you cannot see it.
Different cultures also use different calendars, so getting them to all marry up can be a complex affair.
The Bible says that Jesus’s death and resurrection occurred around the time of the Jewish feast of Passover, which is always celebrated on the first full moon after the vernal equinox.
However, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is looking at plans with other churches to fix a date for Easter.
It would involve a lot of compromise for different groups though, so this could be a while off becoming reality.
I’m sure the idea of a fixed date for Easter would appeal to a lot of people, as it would help everyone plan their holidays in a much better way.
However, this shouldn’t be done to the offence and detriment of anybody, so it will be interesting to see how these discussions develop.
In 1928, an Act of Parliament did pass that Easter would always fall on the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April.
But it was felt that the Church needed its input on this and the idea failed to catch on.
When you do the research you can understand why Easter changes every year.
It doesn’t stop it being annoying though when you’re not sure which days you have off and which you don’t!