When is Easter?
Christians around the world celebrate Easter on a date that changes every year.
Why is Easter a "moveable" feast?
The day on which we celebrate Easter follows a tradition similar to what sets the date for the Jewish Feast of Passover.
Passover does not start on a fixed date, but begins at the first full moon after the spring equinox. It can occur from the 15th to the 21st of the month of Nisan (a month which typically falls in March or April of the Gregorian calendar).
On the year of Jesus' death, the Passover started on Friday, Nisan 14. Because the Resurrection happened on the following Sunday, the Christian custom arose to celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.
For this reason, the date for Easter is not the same every year - it can fall anytime between March 22 and April 25.
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