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We look at the coincidence of what day Easter falls on this year, and what lessons we can draw from it.
When is Easter 2024?
Easter 2024 falls on Sunday 31st March, but why is Easter on a different date every year?
For centuries now, it's not the calendar that determines Easter but the moon's position. This makes Easter a moveable feast. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the full first moon that comes after March 21st. This means that unlike Christmas with its fixed date of 25th December, Easter changes year-on-year. Last year Easter was on the 9th of April and before that, it was on the 17th.
But what's so special about March 21st?
March 21st is the Church's date for the March Equinox. It's the turning point in the year when the days begin to get longer and lighter again. Whilst the actual March Equinox can take place a couple days either side of the 21st, depending on the time zone.
This first full moon goes by another name: the Paschal Full Moon.
That name paschal, which relates to Passover, also turns up in a couple of other places in Easter. Most significantly in Paschal Candles, which are large white liturgical candles used in Church. The biggest candle in a Church will always be the Paschal candle.
Because we can plot the dates of full moons after the March Equinox, the future dates of Easter can be figured out.
2025 - Sunday 20th April
2026 - Sunday 5th April
2027 - Sunday 28th March
2028 - Sunday 16th April
2029 - Sunday 1st April
But, Easter isn't just one date. It's a season. There are a number of key celebrations and remembrances over the season of Easter. When someone asks 'when is Easter?', the day in question is known as Easter Sunday.
The Easter season is filled with meaningful days. Before Easter Sunday the days are known as Lent and Holy Week and focus on the coming death of Christ in the Gospels. Afterwards, and up to Pentecost, it's called Eastertide and it focuses on the resurrection of Christ and the coming of God's Spirit. When is Easter and its key dates?
Lent begins (Ash Wednesday 2024): 14th February 2024
Holy Week 2024: 24th March - 30th March 2024
Annunciation 2024: 8th April 2024
Maundy Thursday 2024: 28th March 2024
Good Friday 2024: 29th March 2024
Holy Saturday 2024: 30th March 2024
Easter Sunday 2024: 31th March 2024
Ascension Day 2024: 9th May 2024
Pentecost 2024: 19th May 2024
After answering 'when is Easter?', you may still have some questions. Why do we still celebrate Easter? What is the best way to celebrate Easter?
To find out more about the meaning of Easter, here are a couple of books that we think share the Easter message in a clear and memorable way:
"Why Easter? is the Easter version of Nicky Gumbel's popular Alpha Course booklet, 'Why Jesus?'
It's easy to read the 24-page guest manual with useful illustrations from Charlie Mackesy (the author and illustrated of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse) in a single sitting.
"Why Easter?" explores the following areas:
"Journey to the Empty Tomb is a gift of biblical scholarship to the worship of the Church and to personal faith from the bestselling author Paula Gooder.
Accessible and informed, it is aimed at all who wish to gain a fuller understanding of the Bible through its key themes and subjects. It is rooted in the conviction that greater understanding leads to deeper devotion. and will also be invaluable for preachers, worship and study group leaders looking for fresh inspiration at a key time in the church's year. This volume focuses on the events leading up to the first Easter - the Gospel accounts of the death and resurrection of Jesus that are at the very heart of the Christian faith.
Beginning with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ending at the empty tomb, Paula uses her extensive knowledge of the world of the New Testament, its language and culture, to reveal fresh and startling insights and to open up hidden depths in these familiar stories."
Click here to buy Journey to the Empty Tomb
Visit our Easter Store for even more Easter cards, Easter books and resources. Don't forget to get your Meaningful Chocolate Easter Eggs early this year!
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