Why is Easter a different date each year?

Question

How do they calculate the date of Easter? I was born on Good Friday , and I wonder if my birthday will ever fall on this day again.

Answer 1

My parents were both born in April, but on different dates. My dad's birthday frequently popped up on Easter, but it was something like 55 years before my Mom got an Easter birthday.

The date for Easter is determined by the phase of the moon, since it is associated with the Celtic pagan holiday of Eoster, which was a spring festival. The earliest date for Easter could be March 21st, the latest date is April 24th. I don't think there are any other holidays with that degree of variability!

Answer 2

Basically it is because Easter started first very soon after the time of Christ when most Christians were Jews so is based on the Jewish calendar. Jewish dates are based on phases of the moon and these change each year in the standard calendar. Also Christians regard every Sunday as being a minor celebration of the Resurrection so the main event, Easter, is always on a Sunday. Christmas started a bit later when many more Christians were non-Jews. They were more accustomed to the Roman calendar, which is pretty much what we use, and used that to date Christmas. There was nothing to link Christ's birth to any particular weekday so a fixed date was selected.

Answer 3

Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. Since this is quite a variable, it may be a long time before it happens again - but it's certainly possible.

Answer 4

Should Christians Celebrate Easter
http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/holidays.htm

Answer 5

Based on lunar calendar

Answer 6

its a moveable holiday
it might

Answer 7

This may help

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/easter.html