Easter falls on different days each year, unlike holidays like Christmas that have a fixed date. This has to do with how Easter is determined and its historical connection to other events. Here's the breakdown:
1. Connecting to Passover: Early Christians linked Easter to the Jewish holiday of Passover, which celebrates the Israelites' freedom from slavery in Egypt. This association is because Jesus's last supper, and consequently his crucifixion, happened during Passover. However, Passover itself doesn't have a fixed date on the solar calendar because it follows the lunar cycle.
2. Spring Equinox and Full Moon: In the 4th century, the Council of Nicaea tried to standardize the way Easter is calculated. They linked it to the spring equinox (around March 20th/21st) and the first full moon after that. This created a "movable feast" as the full moon doesn't always fall on the same day relative to the equinox.
3. Different Dates for Different Churches: Unfortunately, even after Nicaea, there were inconsistencies in how the full moon and equinox were calculated. This led to a split between Western and Eastern churches. Currently, most Western churches use the Gregorian calendar while Eastern churches follow the Julian calendar, resulting in occasional differences in their Easter dates.
4. Fixed Range, But Still Mobile: Combining these factors, Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 22nd and April 25th. It might seem arbitrary, but the tradition holds historical significance and connects Easter to Passover and the spring season.
I hope this explanation clarifies why Easter moves around the calendar!
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