Why Does Easter Change Every Year?

Minara Jahan
2 min readFeb 5, 2025

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Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, unlike Christmas, which falls on the same date each year, Easter Sunday moves around. So why does Easter change every year?

Why Does Easter Change Every Year
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The Lunar Connection

Easter is determined by the lunar calendar rather than the standard Gregorian calendar. The date of Easter Sunday is set as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal (spring) equinox. This means that Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25.

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The Role of the Church

The Church set this method for calculating Easter at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The goal was to align Easter with the Jewish Passover and maintain consistency across Christian communities. The Church fixed March 21 as the official date of the spring equinox, even though the actual astronomical event can vary slightly.

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Why Different Dates for Easter?

While Western Christianity (Roman Catholic and Protestant churches) follows the Gregorian calendar, Eastern Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar. Because of this difference, Orthodox Easter usually falls a week or more after Western Easter.

Conclusion

Easter changes each year because it follows a formula based on the moon rather than a fixed date. This tradition has remained in place for centuries, ensuring that Easter is always celebrated in spring, a season symbolizing renewal and new life. Whether it falls in March or April, Easter remains a deeply meaningful holiday for millions worldwide.

Want to know when Easter falls in upcoming years? Check a lunar calendar or use online date calculators to stay prepared!

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Minara Jahan
Minara Jahan

Written by Minara Jahan

​Helping Social Media Marketer & Content Creator. Passionate Blogger & Affiliate Marketer Founder of https://midgeos.com & https://midgeo.com/(IG: @minarajahan)

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