Easter Sunday in the United States is tomorrow, the celebration of Christ’s resurrection and the promise of eternal life for the faithful. This year the celebration falls on March 31st, but the date actually changes from year to year based on the first full moon that follows the vernal or March equinox (the beginning of spring.)
Because the equinox (the alignment of the earth’s axis allowing both southern and northern hemispheres equal amounts of sunshine) can vary by a day or two, the Catholic Church created a fixed date, March 21st, as the point from which the moon’s appearance could be calculated. This year it appeared on March 25th, so Easter observance for those who follow the Gregorian calendar is this Sunday. Pope Gregory XIII introduced the calendar in 1582.
Prior to that the Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was the predominant calendar used throughout the Roman Empire and most of the Western world. It is still used as a religious calendar by the Orthodox Church, which will celebrate Easter on May 5th.
Regardless of the dichotomy, the holiest day of the Christian faith is recognition and acceptance of Christ’s divinity and victory over sin and death. Celebrate it in your heart and have a blessed and happy Easter.
Life is History 