Moveable Feasts – Transcript
Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts, in that they do not fall on a fixed date in the calendar. Instead, the date for Easter is determined on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar. The process for figuring out the dates of Easter is complex and took hundreds of years to decide. It was also the cause of many controversies.
In Western Christianity, using the Gregorian calendar, Easter always falls on a Sunday between March 22nd and April 25th, within about seven days after the full moon. The following day, Easter Monday, is a legal holiday in many countries with predominantly Christian traditions.
Eastern Orthodox Christians base date calculations on the Julian Calendar. Because of the difference between the calendars, the date of Easter varies between April 4th and May 8th. As such, the eastern Easter is often later than western Easter.
If you are having trouble remembering the date of Easter, you are not alone. Just remember to check the correct calendar!
