Who decides the date of Easter? Ancient Vatican scriptures? The Pope? Well, it turns out the Moon decides the date of Easter. Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full Moon is defined as the first full moon that occurs after the spring equinox. However, there is a caveat. If the Paschal Full Moon falls on a Sunday, Easter is delayed to the following Sunday. This rule ensures that Easter always occurs after the Jewish holiday of Passover, which is based on a lunar calendar as well.

The complexity of Easter’s date calculation has led to occasional discrepancies between the Western Christian churches, which follow the Gregorian calendar, and the Eastern Orthodox Church, which uses the Julian calendar for its calculations. These differences can result in Easter being celebrated on different dates by these branches of Christianity, although efforts have been made to reconcile these discrepancies in recent years.

Easter represents new life, hope, and the triumph of light over darkness. Easter’s date serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of faith and nature.