- Easter Sunday changes dates year-to-year. This year, Easter is on Sunday, April 9, 2023.
- How is the Easter date determined? The holiday occurs on the Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox, which welcomes spring in the northern hemisphere.
- All of the celebrations leading up to Easter also change dates.
As soon as the temperature begins to rise, our thoughts turn to Easter. Unlike many other holidays, Easter’s date alters annually, so we are constantly asking, “When is Easter this year?” Here is everything you need to know about why Easter dates alter, as well as the holiday’s key dates to remember.
If you are seeking the date of Easter 2023 (Sunday, April 9), you must first determine the date of Ash Wednesday. Easter Sunday occurs six and a half weeks after Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of the 40-day period of Lent. We have investigated the causes of the ever-changing date, which include lunar phases, the vernal equinox, and the Gregorian calendar. You may not have realised how much goes into determining Easter Sunday each year.
How is the Easter date determined every year?
First, it’s important to note that although the exact date of Easter varies from year to year, there is a specific window in which the holiday occurs, namely March 22 to April 25. (in the Gregorian calendar, not the Julian calendar). According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon (the first full moon that occurs after the vernal equinox, which marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere).
In 2023, the vernal equinox will occur on March 20, resulting in the first full moon occurring on April 6 and Easter on April 9.
When is Easter 2023?
The date of Easter Sunday in 2023 is April 9. And although the holiday is the primary event, there are several significant observances preceding it. This year, Ash Wednesday was observed on Wednesday, February 22, when churchgoers visited their local congregations. On this day, clergymen and pastors apply ashes from Palm Sunday palms from the previous year to the attendees’ foreheads. This is done while reciting Genesis 3:19: “…for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Ash Wednesday signifies the start of Lent. According to the website of the United Methodist Church, the meaning of Lent is to be “encouraged to find our own method of confronting our sinfulness, remembering our mortality, and giving thanks for the gift of salvation we receive through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” During the 40-day celebration, many individuals choose to abstain from something or donate to charity.
Holy Week concludes during Lent, which begins on April 2 with Palm Sunday. According to 40 Acts, Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entrance in Jerusalem, where he was greeted with palm branches. Holy Wednesday, which this year occurs on April 5th, commemorates Judas Iscariot and his plan to betray the saviour. The following day, April 6, is Holy Thursday, commemorating the Last Supper. The following day, on April 7, is Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Easter Sunday, which occurs on April 9, commemorates the day Jesus ascended from the tomb and signifies the conclusion of Lent.
Is Easter Always the Third Sunday in April?
No, it does not fall on the third Sunday of April every year. It could be as soon as March. It is the second Sunday this year. This is a common misunderstanding; it is conceivable that people are thinking of the third Thursday of November, which is Thanksgiving.