Easter is the most important feast for Christians. Celebrating Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and death, its date determines all the movable feasts of the liturgical year. Its importance therefore shapes the entire life of the Church.
But isn’t Easter a movable feast? And how is the date on which it is celebrated determined each year? And what does it mean for Easter to be “early” or “late”? Do Jewish Passover and Christian Easter have different dates? Let’s try to make sense of it!
How is the date of Jewish Passover calculated?
First, let’s understand how the date of Jewish Passover is determined. Then it will be easier to understand the mechanism that sets the date of Christian Easter.
The date of Jewish Passover - commemorating the liberation of the chosen people from slavery in Egypt through the crossing of the Red Sea - differs from the Christian date because it is based on the Jewish calendar, in which each month begins with the new moon. The fifteenth day of the month coincides with the full moon. Jewish Passover falls on the first full moon after the spring equinox.
How is the date of Christian Easter calculated?
Often, however, although they are different, the dates of Jewish Passover and Christian Easter are close because the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection took place during Jewish Passover: Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover meal.
The date of Christian Easter is set each year for the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox (conventionally set as March 21). Thus, Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25. And that explains why Easter can never be celebrated in May!
Everything stems from Easter
Once the date of Easter has been determined, the following dates are set: Ash Wednesday, the Ascension of the Lord, Pentecost, and the first Sunday of Advent of the following liturgical year.
We are looking at a wonderful mechanism in which time becomes a manifestation of Sacred History in which we are all immersed.
Moreover, the Christian, placed within the sacred time of the liturgical year, has the gift of being an active and living part of a Church that, every year, prepares and lays out for them a path that enables them to journey through time in the constant celebration of the life of Christ, King and Lord of time and history.
Simplicity amid the complexity of the Liturgy
Within the intricate and wonderful mechanism of the liturgical year, where every event is closely connected and depends on the central hub that is Easter, the need for a clear and reliable guide may arise. Our PASTORAL LITURGICAL AGENDA is precisely the compass that can guide every Christian.
You will find every detail meticulously noted inside: you will no longer have to worry about which color the priest should wear, what the readings are for each celebration, or how the Easter Vigil should be conducted… This agenda eliminates all uncertainty, offering clarity and confidence to those who wish to prepare and lead the liturgy appropriately. It is not just a simple agenda, but a faithful companion that guides you through the sacred journey of the liturgical year. With it at your side, you will no longer get lost in the details, but will be able to focus fully on the beauty and depth of the liturgical celebration.
