Why Easter dates change every year

Lent, and by extension, the Easter festive season, are movable periods each year within the calendar, unlike other festivities such as Christmas.  

To the casual observer, the most confusing part about Lent and Easter is what days they will fall on. The Easter Sunday celebration is more unusual than most as it is never on the same day in subsequent years, which can be a little confusing if one is not familiar with its origin.

What is Easter?

For Christians, Easter Sunday is the highest solemnity and the most important liturgical day of the year. It celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion, symbolizing his victory over sin and death, the victory of light and life over darkness and death, and above all, the promise of salvation.

This year, Easter will be celebrated on Sunday, April 5. 

Which would make Monday, April 6, also a holiday. Father Conor, a Catholic priest, emphasizes that Easter is a time for joy, hope and optimism. He declares that as the church, Christians are an “Easter People.”

Why does Easter change every year?

Easter is considered a "movable feast"; as it does not correlate with a specific date, but rather with the lunar moon cycle. 

Kenya, Africa and most of the Western world uses the Gregorian Calendar, which places Easter within the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, which is always on or after the spring equinox, set on March 21. 

The Paschal Full Moon took place on April 2 this year, meaning Easter Sunday is set on April 5, 2026.

However, the Eastern Orthodox Church calculates Easter a little differently; it uses the Julian Calendar introduced by Julius Caesar. 

The Julian Calendar places Easter on April 12 this year. While neither method is considered wrong, Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches typically use the Julian Calendar, while the Gregorian Calendar is most areas globally.

The times Easter coincided 

The Gregorian and the Julian calendars have coincided in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2025. In the near future, they will coincide in 2034. 

In all these years, Easter celebrations have been taking place at the same time throughout the world.

Purpose of Easter within Christian context?

Easter helps Christians to focus on the living presence of the risen Jesus, shifting from Lenten penance to joy, and integrating this faith into a Christian’s daily life and family. 

Each Friday during the Lenten period and every day within the Holy Week, which is the period that culminates in the Easter Celebration, Christians should purpose to integrate intense days of reliving the passion of Jesus Christ, going for confession and dying to oneself so as to rise with him. 

Within the Holy Week, the church requires Christians to participate in the way of the cross while meditating on the passion of Christ, and eventually attending the Easter Vigil Mass as well as the victorious Easter Sunday Mass where the Church declares Jesus as the “Risen Christ.”

What Christians observe during Easter 

Christians are called upon to focus on the Risen Christ as Easter is seen not just as a historical event but a celebration of Jesus being alive today. The focus is on finding Him in daily work, family life, and through prayer, and particularly in the Eucharist.

Particular emphasis is called for by the church in the Easter Vigil and Mass, where, by participating in the Holy Saturday vigil mass, with its liturgy of light, it is a high point, alongside celebrating the joy of Easter Sunday Mass. 

Easter is celebrated with great joy and family gatherings, reflecting the happiness of Christ’s resurrection. This includes sharing festive meals and celebrating with loved ones.

At Easter, the church strongly recommends that Christians take time for prayer as they meditate on the scenes of the resurrection and have the joy of Easter expressed through works of charity and kindness towards others, thereby putting faith into action. 

The Church strongly emphasizes a renewed faith during this season, focusing on the transformative power of the Resurrection in everyday life and circumstances.