The Date of Easter

Have you ever wondered why Easter falls on a different date every year? I’m sure there are other people at Smith Mountain Lake that wonder why it falls on different weeks and even in different months from year to year. After some research, I finally figured it out!

The date of Easter Sunday is usually the first Sunday after the first Full Moon occurring on or after the March equinox. Easter Sunday celebrates the Christian belief of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. The March equinox coincides with Easter Sunday and holidays that are related to it. The dates of many Christian holidays depend on the Easter date like Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Ascension Day, and Pentecost/Whitsunday.

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection occurred around the time of the Jewish Passover, which was celebrated on the first full moon following the vernal equinox. This soon led to Christians celebrating Easter on different dates.  Easter is delayed by 1 week if the full moon is on Sunday, which decreases the chances of it falling on the same day as the Jewish Passover.

To a lot of people, Easter represents Easter egg hunts, candy, and chocolate bunnies. Whichever way you choose to celebrate Easter, you no longer have to wonder why the date changes from year to year!