Without googling, do *you* know how the date of Easter Sunday is calculated?

[Emori]

Happens every year with wild variation. Do you understand why?

I wouldn't like that! I like how shrove/fat Tuesday is a surprise every year 😁

The Easter bunny pops out of the ground. If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of Lent. If not, it's Easter.

something to do with ascension day

i guess they count the sundays?

Something to do with the moon, which is why it can vary by nearly a month.

Miss the cut off by one day and you've got 27 days to wait for your long weekend. If you work office hours at least.

Yes, I know how it’s calculated, but would have to look up the phases of the moon to work it out it myself. (For those who go to church, there’s a big list in the back of the prayer book (BCP) of when Easter falls - which can be any time between March 22nd and April 25th.)

It is this year I know
but it was in March last year I think and a few years back

It's something to do with the number of Sundays after epiphany but without googling I can't be more specific.

Yes. At least, I do in the UK. I'm aware it's different in the Eastern Orthodox Church. I think the way to calculate it was set at the Council of Nicosia (sp?) in the 4th Century but I might be misremembering that.

My leave year runs 01 April - 31 March. Some years we get two Easters within a leave year, occasionally we get none. It's a real pain.

I once went to the Easter Sunday service at Lindisfarne. I was worried about the tides because of getting across the causeway. Then someone pointed out that you can always get across the causeway in the morning on Easter Sunday because the tides are dependent on the moon. As is Easter.

Yep. It’s all about the vernal equinox and the moon cycles. First Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

Easter needed a whole page to itself in our Child Arrangements Order to prevent my ex being an utter dick about the school holidays being shared.

AFAIK, without googling or reading any of the replies here-It’s because it is connected to the Jewish calendar which is a Lunar calendar. Easter Sunday is always a week after Passover as that is supposed to be when Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem (palm Sunday)

My daughter's birthday is 20th April. She's had Easter on her birthday 3 times 2003, 2014 and 2025 I think but won't be again until 2098 when she will be 105! Weird

I knew the right answer but only because discussed it with husband a few days ago ie why it's a moveable date and I knew it was something to do with the moon and he filled in the rest.

It seems a bit pagan to me to set a religious date by the moon but it also happens with Ramadan, Eid etc (and Passover aligns with Easter) so what do I know?

Gimme pancake day any day of the week.

I'm an atheist but I don't half enjoy a Christian feast 😁

Nope. And I don't care, to be quite honest.

Nope! I just google the list of public and school holidays for the year and put them in the calendar!

Such a condescending post

It's the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. Beautiful.

Didn't look at the other comments before answering - something like the first Sunday after the first full moon after the equinox?

I don’t think so. It’s calculated not by Sundays after epiphany which doesn’t move but on the phases of the moon. It’s the first Sunday after Passover (which is calculated according to the moon phases)

Also, if you’ve ever heard the phrase “moveable feast”, (which in modern times tends to mean a plan that can be shifted around) this is the sort of event it actually refers to: a celebration that changes date every year because it is tied to solar and lunar cycles.

I can’t see why the government can’t make it a set date. Bank holidays are the same. I suppose it’s because it’s a religious holiday and always been like this, but Christmas Day has been the same date for years and that isn’t seen as odd.

It’s in line with Passover, because we know very specifically from the Bible that Jesus and his disciples were celebrating Passover just before the events of Easter happened. Passover moves according to the phases of the moon, so Easter has to move too as it doesn’t make theological sense otherwise!

DS is cross it’s so late this year though, as it’s the first time in 12 years his birthday’s ever been in term time!

No, i wouldn't know.

Easter Sunday is on the 5th April this year which I think is early. Last year it was later.