Why Is Easter Different Every Year?

Obviously, Easter does not take place on a fixed day of the year. Easter in 2019 also comes later than in other years.

The Meaning of Easter

Considered one of the most important holidays of the year for Christians, Easter usually takes place each year to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead after being crucified.

Accordingly, Christians believe that Jesus overcame death, rose again, and ascended to Heaven in triumph – this event fulfilled what the Exodus event foretold: Freeing people from sin and bring them into their God-given life. This faith is recited every year during Easter, as well as every week on Sunday.

Easter is also considered a spring festival, a festival of hope for all species when the bare branches during the winter begin to sprout young buds.

Besides, Easter is also a day Catholics remember and share with those in unfortunate circumstances in society in many forms such as visiting, encouraging, giving gifts...

Why Does Easter Change Dates?

If you regularly look at the calendar, you will notice that Easter and the holidays associated with it do not occur on a fixed day of the year and appear to happen earlier or later than usual.

This is because Easter is not based on the Gregorian or Julian calendars - calendars based on the movement of the sun and the seasons, but instead, are determined based on the lunar calendar.

Specifically, according to Time, the Christian Church in the Community of Nicaea in 325 determined that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon that took place on or after March 21, the date first of spring (spring equinox).

But because the lunar calendar is out of sync with the Gregorian calendar introduced by Pope Gregory in 1582 - the date of the full moon is not fixed every year, and so the date of Easter also changes, always falling on any Sunday from March 22 to April 25.