Why is Catholic Easter not celebrated at the same time as Orthodox Easter?
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Why is Catholic Easter not celebrated at the same time as Orthodox Easter?
Many Catholics will celebrate Easter on March 31st in 2024 rather than May 5th. The differences in dates are explained by the fact that some Catholic churches have switched to the Gregorian calendar, while the Russian Orthodox Church (as well as the Georgian, Jerusalem and Serbian Orthodox Churches) continue to adhere to the Julian calendar.
In both Western and Eastern traditions, the date of Easter is calculated according to the following principle: “Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the spring full moon.” The spring full moon refers to the first full moon that occurs no earlier than the vernal equinox.
From an astronomical point of view, the day of the equinox in the 21st century most often occurs on March 20, but in Christianity the corresponding date is considered to be March 21. Thus, for calculations in the Western tradition, March 21 is taken according to the Gregorian calendar, and in the Eastern tradition – March 21 according to the Julian, or April 3 according to the Gregorian.
It is worth noting that not all Orthodox Christians in the world celebrate holidays according to the “old style”, and Catholics – according to the “new style”. Some local churches use the New Julian calendar, a modification of the calendar developed by Milutin Milanković, a professor of mathematics and celestial mechanics at the University of Belgrade. In the coming centuries it will not diverge from Gregorian for a single day.
In 2025, Christians of both traditions will celebrate Easter at the same time, on April 20.
Catholic Easter also differs from Orthodox Easter in the less strict fasting that precedes it. It lasts 26 days, not 48, and only three of its days are strict: Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent), Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Another difference is the other symbols of Easter – chocolate eggs and the Easter bunny.
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