Easter day usa 2022: When Is Easter Sunday 2022? – How Easter’s Date Is Determined

When Is Easter Sunday 2022? – How Easter’s Date Is Determined

Easter 2022 will be observed on Sunday, April 17! Easter is a “movable feast” that is always held on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Why is Easter so late this year? Find out why the date changes every year and how this holiday relates to the first full Moon of spring.

When Is Easter 2022?

This year, Easter will be observed on Sunday, April 17. (Eastern Orthodox Easter will take place on Sunday, April 24.)

Why Is Easter So Late This Year?

Easter is a “movable feast,” so it doesn’t happen on the same date from year to year. However, it is always observed on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. 

Easter this year happens just one day after April’s full Moon (Saturday, April 16), which is the first full Moon to occur after the ecclesiastical spring equinox (March 21) and is therefore known in the Christian calendar as the “Paschal Full Moon. ” To make a long story short, Easter always occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, which is why Easter is so late this year. Read more about this curious connection below!

What Is the Most Common Easter Date?

Over a 500-year period (from 1600 to 2099 AD), it just so happens that Easter will have most often been celebrated on either March 31 or April 16.

Many Eastern Orthodox churches follow the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian. In this case, the observance of Easter can occur between April 4 and May 8.

How Is The Date of Easter Determined?

Would you believe that the date of Easter is related to the full Moon?

Specifically, Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the full Moon that occurs on or just after the ecclesiastical spring equinox (March 21). Yes, it’s a bit confusing at first read!

Let’s break it down: The ecclesiastical spring equinox (in other words, the date observed by the Christian Church) has a set date of March 21. The first full Moon to occur after March 21 rises on Saturday, April 16, this year. Therefore, Easter will be observed on the subsequent Sunday, which is Sunday, April 17, 2022. 

Note that the equinox date used by the Christian Church (the “ecclesiastical” date) is different from the astronomical date of the equinox, which can change from year to year. In 2022, the astronomical date of the equinox was Sunday, March 20.

In Christian calendars, the first full Moon of spring is called the “Paschal Full Moon” (which we’ll explain further below). So, to put it another way: Easter is observed on the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon.

Read more about Easter and the Paschal Full Moon

What Happens When the Full Moon and Spring Equinox Occur on the Same Day?

Generally, if the full Moon occurs on the same day as the spring equinox, Easter is observed on the subsequent Sunday. However, there is a caveat:

Long ago, the Christian Church decided to simplify the process of calculating Easter’s date by always observing the spring equinox on March 21, despite the fact that the equinox date changes over time and is actually getting earlier.

This discrepancy between the astronomical equinox date and the Church’s observed equinox date can sometimes cause confusion, as it did in 2019, when the full Moon and the astronomical equinox occurred on the same day—Wednesday, March 20.

According to the formula above, this should have meant that Easter would be observed on Sunday, March 24. However, because the Church observes the equinox on March 21, the full Moon technically did not occur “on or just after” the equinox, meaning that the next full Moon would determine Easter’s date instead. Thus, in 2019, Easter was held on Sunday, April 21, after the full Moon on Friday, April 19.

What Is the Paschal Full Moon?

The word “Paschal,” which is used in the ecclesiastical (Christian church) calendar, comes from “Pascha,” a transliteration of the Aramaic word meaning “Passover. ”

In reference to the full Moon, Paschal refers to the date of the full Moon determined many years ago as the 14th day of a lunar month. Ancient calculations (made in a.d. 325) did not take into account certain lunar motions.

So, the Paschal Full Moon is the 14th day of a lunar month occurring on or after March 21 according to a fixed set of ecclesiastical calendar rules, which does not always match the date of the astronomical full Moon nearest the astronomical spring equinox.

It sounds complicated, but the basic idea is to make it simpler to calculate the date for modern calendars. Rest assured, the dates for Easter are calculated long in advance. See past and future Easter dates here.

Want to read more about Easter and the Paschal Full Moon? See our article on their curious connection here.

What Is the Golden Number?

Readers often ask us about the Golden Number, which was traditionally used in calculations for determining the date of Easter.

The Golden Number is a value used to show the dates of new Moons for each year, following a 19-year cycle.

The Moon repeats the dates of its phases approximately every 19 years (the Metonic cycle), and the Golden Number represents a year in that cycle. The year of the cycle can then be used to determine the date of Easter.

To Calculate the Golden Number:

Add 1 to any given year and divide the result by 19, ensuring that you calculate to the nearest whole number; the remainder is the Golden Number. If there is no remainder, the Golden Number is 19.

For example, to calculate the Golden Number for 2022, we take 2022 and add 1, resulting in 2023, then divide it evenly by 19, giving us 106 with a remainder of 9. Therefore, the Golden Number for 2022 is 9, meaning 2022 is the 9th year of the Metonic cycle.

What Is Easter?

Easter is the most important feast day in the Christian calendar.

Regularly observed from the earliest days of the Church, Easter celebrates Christ’s resurrection from the dead, following crucifixion. It marks the end of Holy Week, the end of Lent, and the last day of the Easter Triduum (starting from the evening of Maundy Thursday, through Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday), as well as the beginning of the Easter season of the liturgical year.

The resurrection represents the triumph of good over evil, sin, death, and the physical body.

Where Did the Word “Easter” Come From?

Easter, also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Let’s start with Pascha (Latin) which comes directly from Pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover. Going back to the Hebrew Bible and the story of the first Passover, Moses tells the Israelites to slaughter a passover lamb and paint its blood on their door. The Lord protected the Israelites from death by passing over their doors and would not “allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you down” (Ex. 12:23).

In the New Testament (1 Corinthians 5:7), Paul connects the resurrected Christ to Passover. He refers to Jesus as the paschal lamb who has been sacrificed for his people’s salvation. Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples during Passover, so it makes sense that the Feast of the Resurrection is connected with the Jewish holiday. Today, Christians celebrate the “Paschal mystery.”

So, where did the word “Easter” come from? The exact origin of the word “Easter” is unclear. It’s not as simple as saying it has religious origins or pagan origins.

Some historians suggest that it came from the phrase hebdomada alba, Latin for “white week,” used to describe the white garments new Christians wore when they were baptized during Holy Week. In Old German, the word became esostarum and, eventually, Easter.

The Venerable Bede, a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon historian also known as Saint Bede, writes that the word Easter comes from the Anglo-Saxon dawn goddess of fertility Eostre, also the goddess of the dawn, who originated in what is now Scandinavia. Over time, early Christians started referring to the Feast of the Resurrection by the name of the month in which it was celebrated—Eosturmonath (what we now call April).

Alternatively, Easter may have from an old German word for “east,” which in turn is derived from a Latin word for “dawn.” In the past, the word easter could mean “to turn toward the east” or “rising” and didn’t necessarily have any implied religious meaning. (Note: It was the Germans who invented the “Easter Bunny” who visited “good” children’s homes, much like they invented Santa Claus.)

Bottom line, no one truly knows the etymological origins of the word, “Easter.” It is one of the oldest Old English words.

In the end, it is unimportant whether Easter comes from the goddess of the dawn or the Latin word for dawn. In whatever language, Easter today is a Christian holiday to celebrate Christ’s resurrection—and the reminder that death brings life.

Our Favorite Easter Recipes

Traditional Easter dishes include seasonal produce as well as symbols of spring such as lamb, ham, eggs, asparagus, spring peas, hot cross buns and sweet breads, and a carrot cake.

We have all the traditional Easter recipes and more! Check out our Favorite Easter Recipes.

Greek Easter Bread. Photo by Pasta/Shutterstock.

Happy Easter!

From all the Editors here at The Old Farmer’s Almanac, we wish you a Happy Easter and a joyous spring season!

When Is Easter 2022? – How Is the Easter Date Determined?

If you’re anything like the Drummonds, you’re probably waiting with eager anticipation for Easter Sunday to arrive—and who wouldn’t be? While their go-to Easter activities are heading to church for Sunday mass and hosting a competitive egg hunt, there’s really something for everyone! Maybe you’re excited to devour your favorite Easter desserts or cook up a delicious Easter brunch for the whole crew. Or perhaps you simply love the start of warm, springy weather and the feeling of renewal that Easter brings.

But there’s one important thing we all need to know before getting anyone can start getting their chicks in a row—and that’s the matter of Easter’s date and time. If you find yourself wondering, “When is Easter in 2022?” you’re in the right place. And you’re not foolish for wondering: Unlike many other holidays, Easter’s date changes every year. And it’s more confusing than other holidays that move around, too: It can even be tricky to determine which Sunday Easter is going to fall on.

So before you plan out this year’s family Easter egg hunt or get started filling those Easter baskets, make sure you know whether the holy day falls early or late this year. Ahead, you’ll not only find out that information, but you’ll also learn why Easter moves around, as well as when Lent begins in 2022. Mystery solved! (And if you’ve ever wondered about the origins of the Easter bunny, we’ve got information on that, too!)

When is Easter in 2022?

Tinnakorn Jorruang / EyeEm//Getty Images

In 2022, Easter Sunday falls on April 17. As we’ve discussed, Easter’s date can fluctuate pretty widely each year. While the holiday fell in the beginning of the month last year, this year, it’ll be a little later. Hopefully by then, the weather in your area will have already started warming up!

There’s a pretty large range of dates in which Easter could potentially fall. The earliest day it can happen is March 22—but the next time that happens won’t be until 2285! The latest day that Easter can take place is on April 25, which hasn’t occurred since 1943.

How is Easter’s date determined?

Okay, so we know that Easter Sunday moves around, but why does this happen? And how is the date figured out each year?

Well, believe it or not, it all has to do with the moon!

The simplified version is that Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. And if you’re wondering what that means, it’s the first full moon after the vernal equinox. On years during which the first full moon of spring falls on a Sunday, Easter is observed the following week.

The moon’s cycles played an important role in ancient times, and it remains the way the date of Jewish holidays are determined, including Passover. Eventually, Christians decided to observe Easter during the same time as Passover, with early celebrations occurring on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring.

When is Lent in 2022?

Easter’s rotating date is why Lent also changes every year. In 2022, Lent will start on Wednesday, March 2, and last until Thursday, April 14. The Easter date is decided first, and then the season of Lent is determined from that day. That means that Ash Wednesday is on March 2, Holy Thursday is on Thursday, April 14, and Good Friday is on Friday, April 15. (All that’s left to figure out is what to give up on Lent this year.)

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Erin Cavoto is the Editorial Assistant at ThePioneerWoman. com, covering food, holidays, home decor, and more.

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what date Orthodox and Catholic Easter is celebrated

Easter is the oldest and most important Christian holiday, the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – an event that is the center of all biblical history.

History has not conveyed to us the exact date of the Resurrection of the Lord, we only know that it was in the spring when the Jews celebrated Pesach. However, Christians could not fail to celebrate such a great event, so in 325, at the first Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, the issue with the date of Easter was resolved. By decree of the council, it was to be celebrated on the first Sunday after the spring equinox and full moon, after a full week had elapsed since the Old Testament Jewish Passover. Thus, Christian Easter is a “mobile” holiday – within the time period from March 22 to April 25 (from April 4 to May 8, according to the new style). At the same time, the date of the celebration among Catholics and Orthodox, as a rule, does not coincide. In their definition, there are discrepancies that arose as early as the 16th century after the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. However, the convergence of the Holy Fire on the day of Orthodox Easter suggests that the Nicene Council made the right decision.

What is the date of Orthodox Easter in 2023

Orthodox Christians have Holy Resurrection of Christ in 2023 falls on April 16 . It is believed that this is an early Easter. The easiest way to determine the date of the holiday is to use the Alexandrian Paschalia, a special calendar where it is marked for many years to come. But you can also calculate the timing of Easter yourself, if you know that the celebration comes after the spring equinox on March 20, as well as after the first full moon following it. And, of course, the holiday necessarily falls on Sunday.

Orthodox believers start preparing for Easter seven weeks before the Holy Resurrection of Christ, entering Great Lent. The very Resurrection of Christ in Rus’ was always met in the temple. Divine services begin before midnight, and around midnight, Easter matins begin.

We are forgiven, we are saved and redeemed – Christ is risen! – says the Hieromartyr Seraphim (Chichagov) in his Paschal sermon. Everything is said in these two words. Our faith, our hope, love, Christian life, all our wisdom, enlightenment, the Holy Church, heartfelt prayer and our whole future are based on them. With these two words, all human calamities, death, evil are destroyed, and life, bliss and freedom are granted! What miraculous power! Is it possible to get tired of repeating: Christ is Risen! Can we get tired of hearing: Christ is Risen!

Painted chicken eggs are one of the elements of the Easter meal, a symbol of reborn life. Another dish is called the same as the holiday – Easter. This is a curd delicacy seasoned with raisins, dried apricots or candied fruits, served on the table in the form of a pyramid, decorated with the letters “XB”. This form is determined by the memory of the Holy Sepulcher, from which the light of Christ’s Resurrection shone. The third table messenger of the holiday is Easter cake, a kind of symbol of the triumph of Christians and their closeness with the Savior. Before starting the breaking of the fast, it is customary to consecrate all these dishes in churches during Great Saturday and during the Easter service.

What date is the Catholic Easter in 2023

For many centuries, the Catholic Easter was determined in accordance with the Paschalia created in Alexandria. It was based on the nineteen-year cycle of the Sun, the day of the vernal equinox in it was also unchanged – March 21. And this state of affairs existed until the 16th century, until the priest Christopher Clavius ​​proposed another calendar for determining Easter. Pope Gregory XIII approved it, and in 1582 the Catholics switched to a new – Gregorian – calendar. The Eastern Church abandoned the innovation – Orthodox Christians have everything as before, in accordance with the Julian calendar.

It was decided to switch to a new style of reckoning in Russia only after the revolution, in 1918, and then only at the state level. Thus, for more than four centuries, the Orthodox and Catholic churches have been celebrating Easter at different times. It happens that they coincide and the celebration is celebrated on the same day, but this rarely happens (for example, such a coincidence of Catholic and Orthodox Easter was quite recent – in 2017).

Easter cake. Photo: pixabay.com

B 2023 Catholics will celebrate Easter April 9, . Almost always, Catholic Easter is celebrated first, and after that – Orthodox.

Easter traditions

In the Orthodox tradition, Easter is the most important holiday (while Catholics and Protestants venerate Christmas the most). And this is natural, because the whole essence of Christianity lies in the death and resurrection of Christ, in His atoning sacrifice for the sins of all mankind and His great love for people.

Bright Week begins right after the Easter night. Special days of worship, on which the service is performed according to the Paschal Rule. Easter hours are performed, festive chants: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and bestowing life on those in the tombs.”

The gates of the altar are open all week long, like a symbol of an invitation to the main church celebration of everyone. The decoration of the temple Calvary (a wooden crucifix in natural size) changes from black mourning to white festive.

There is no fasting these days, the preparations for the main sacrament – Communion are relaxed. On any day of Bright Week, a Christian can approach the Chalice.

Many believers testify to a special state of prayer on these holy days. When the soul is filled with amazing gracious joy. It is even believed that those who were honored to die on Easter days go to Heaven, bypassing air ordeals, because demons are powerless at this time.

From Easter until the Ascension of the Lord, there are no kneeling prayers and prostrations during services.

On the eve of Anti-Easter, the gates of the altar are closed, but the festive services last until the Ascension, which is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter. Until that moment, the Orthodox greet each other joyfully: “Christ is Risen!”

Also on the eve of Easter, the main miracle of the Christian world takes place – the descent of the Holy Fire on the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. A miracle that many have tried to challenge or study scientifically. A miracle that instills in the heart of every believer the hope for salvation and eternal life.

A word to the priest

Father Igor Silchenkov, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos (village of Rybachye, Alushta) says: “Easter is a holiday of holidays and a celebration of celebrations, the most important event in the history of mankind. Thanks to the Resurrection of Christ, there is no longer any death, but only the eternal, endless life of the human soul.