Easter Sunday is celebrated this year 20 April 2025 – but unlike Christmas or independence, its date changes every year. This often raises a question among many – why do Easter move every year?
The answer lies in the mixture of ancient tradition and astronomical calculation, which has been extending for more than 1600 years. Easter is what is called a “moving feast” and its date was formally determined by the first Nicaea Council in 325 NL.
According to the rule of churches, Easter falls on the first Sunday after the full moon, which occurs on 21 March or later, which is considered a solid date of spring equinox in the church calendar.
This means that Easter can fall any Sunday between March 22 and 25 April. If the complete month drops to Saturday, Easter is the next day. If it is on Sunday, Easter is pushed on the next Sunday.
The lunar event used for this calculation is known as “Paschal Full Moon”, the approximation of the real full moon derived from the church based on pre -calculated tables, not astronomical observations. The reason for this lunar connection is rooted in tradition: the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ occurred at the time of the Jewish Passover, which is based on the Hebrew lunar calendar.
Interestingly, the Eastern Orthodox Churches often celebrate Easter on a different date because they follow the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian, which is used in the West.
In India, where Christian communities are distributed in different countries, changing the date of Easter not only for religious observance, but also school calendars, local holidays and public events. Churches are preparing for the Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter services based on this annual calculation.
So while the main message of the resurrection and renewal remains unchanged, the date of Easter is a dynamic reminder of how faith, tradition and heavenly timing continue to form a Christian calendar.
(Tagstotranslate) Easter date 2025
