Eastern Catholics and Pascha/Easter?

[~Anastasia~]

I just realized I don't think I've ever specifically asked.

Don't Eastern Catholics celebrate Pascha, on the same date Orthodoxy calculates the Resurrection? (Or do they?)

If so, then they usually celebrate the Resurrection on a different day that the Pope and rest of Western Christianity?

It just suddenly strikes me as odd in that case, since they are in communion with Rome and subject to her.

Do I get this wrong? Thanks for any info!

(And forgive me please, I'm not asking to stir up contentions, if it causes anyone to feel that way.)

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

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[All4Christ]

Interesting question.

Incidentally, I recently found out that the Western rite Orthodox celebrate on the same day Eastern Orthodox celebrate, not Western Easter. Their Holy Week services, however, follow the Western Holy Week pattern of services.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Interesting question.

Incidentally, I recently found out that the Western rite Orthodox celebrate on the same day Eastern Orthodox celebrate, not Western Easter. Their Holy Week services, however, follow the Western Holy Week pattern of services.

Thanks for the info - that would have been an important corollary question to ask!

 

[~Anastasia~]

I ask because while rites can vary, it seemed that the DATING of the Resurrection was an important early controversy. I'd be surprised for a fellowship to be in common communion with one another, yet celebrating on different dates.

But I don't remember an indication from ECs I've known that they didn't share our Pascha. (Of course a couple-few years ago it fell on the same day.)

I thought I should ask instead of assuming.

 

[archer75]

I ask because while rites can vary, it seemed that the DATING of the Resurrection was an important early controversy. I'd be surprised for a fellowship to be in common communion with one another, yet celebrating on different dates.

In our communion, we have the two calendars. So while Pascha and things tied to it fall on the same days across the Old and New Calendars (because it was decided it was too disturbing to "move" Pascha), everything else is shifted, and we commemorate different saints on Holy Thursday, for example.

So we can time travel - as you know - and go to a missed Nativity service later, if we have a place nearby on the Old Calendar.

Frankly, I think this is a good example of being in communion without attaching too much importance to a calendar.

 

[All4Christ]

I ask because while rites can vary, it seemed that the DATING of the Resurrection was an important early controversy. I'd be surprised for a fellowship to be in common communion with one another, yet celebrating on different dates.

But I don't remember an indication from ECs I've known that they didn't share our Pascha. (Of course a couple-few years ago it fell on the same day.)

I thought I should ask instead of assuming.

Technically the West and East follow the ruling of the Council of Nicaea in regards to calculating the date of Easter / Pascha.

The Nicaea Ecumenical Council of 325AD states that it should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring (Vernal) Equinox. All Eastern and Western churches follow this Ecumenical Council ruling.

When the council made that ruling, everyone was using the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar has the vernal equinox on either March 20 or March 21st depending on the astronomical calculations. We (Orthodox) affixed the vernal equinox to March 21st on the Julian calendar. Our calculations are based on this.

So in Eastern churches, Pascha falls between April 4 and May 8, while in Western churches Easter falls between March 22 and April 25.

That said, while we do follow the same formula, we (East and West) celebrate on different days, which was against the desire of the council - since it was designed to have all Christians celebrate Pascha / Easter on the same day. That is why I believe the Western Orthodox celebrate on the same day as the Eastern Orthodox.

 

[All4Christ]

Back in the early days of the Church, they celebrated either on the Passover or the Sunday after. In the time of the New Testament, the Passover was celebrated on the first full moon following the vernal equinox (15 Nisan). After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the diaspora of the Jews, Passover was celebrated on different dates, sometimes even before the vernal equinox, because calculations were based on local calendars. This caused variations in dating of Pascha / Easter celebrations. That’s why they came up with a standard formula leveraging the original calculations of Passover.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I appreciate all the info. I knew some but needed some blanks filled in too.

 

[All4Christ]

I appreciate all the info. I knew some but needed some blanks filled in too.

I know you probably knew some or all but I figured there probably are many that don’t

 

[FenderTL5]

When the council made that ruling, everyone was using the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar has the vernal equinox on either March 20 or March 21st depending on the astronomical calculations.
We (Orthodox) affixed the vernal equinox to March 21st on the Julian calendar. Our calculations are based on this.

So in Eastern churches, Pascha falls between April 4 and May 8, while in Western churches Easter falls between March 22 and April 25.

That said, while we do follow the same formula, we (East and West) celebrate on different days, which was against the desire of the council - since it was designed to have all Christians celebrate Pascha / Easter on the same day. That is why I believe the Western Orthodox celebrate on the same day as the Eastern Orthodox.

I understand this -yet it still makes no sense that there are differing dates.
The vernal Equinox is an event that takes place in the sky, not a date on a calendar.
That all Christians are not celebrating on the same Sunday means one or the other is incorrect on the dating, imho.
The Orthodox Paschalion at Orthodox Wiki

 

[All4Christ]

I understand this -yet it still makes no sense that there are differing dates.
The vernal Equinox is an event that takes place in the sky, not a date on a calendar.
That all Christians are not celebrating on the same Sunday means one or the other is incorrect on the dating, imho.
The Orthodox Paschalion at Orthodox Wiki

I agree that it should be celebrated on the same day and that celebrating the same day was the purpose of the council - hence the last paragraph of my post.

 

[FenderTL5]

I agree that it should be celebrated on the same day and that celebrating the same day was the purpose of the council - hence the last paragraph of my post.

I wasn't disagreeing with you, just still puzzled (and a little frustrated) why something that seems so basic can't be resolved.

 

[FireDragon76]

I wasn't disagreeing with you, just still puzzled (and a little frustrated) why something that seems so basic can't be resolved.

They did try to do so in the 1920's, I believe, at the request of the Ecumenical Patriarch. They even had a Greek astronomer vouch for the calculations to give it some credibility, but it never caught on. The Russians and other churches probably weren't behind it at all.

Finnish Orthodox celebrate according to the Gregorian Calendar, BTW. They are probably the only Orthodox church to do so.

 

[FireDragon76]

Apparently it varies:

Why celebrate Easter at a different time than Roman Catholics?

 

[All4Christ]

They did try to do so in the 1920's, I believe, at the request of the Ecumenical Patriarch. They even had a Greek astronomer vouch for the calculations to give it some credibility, but it never caught on. The Russians and other churches probably weren't behind it at all.

Finnish Orthodox celebrate according to the Gregorian Calendar, BTW. They are probably the only Orthodox church to do so.

I think they are actually required by law to do that

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Apparently it varies:

Why celebrate Easter at a different time than Roman Catholics?

Interesting - I thought the ECs celebrated on the same date as Rome.

 

[~Anastasia~]

So according to the article, most (but not all) ECs celebrate Pascha with the Orthodox?

And all Orthodox (except the Finnish) celebrate on Pascha, regardless of rite.

Is that the overall info I'm getting from this thread?

Apparently it varies:

Why celebrate Easter at a different time than Roman Catholics?

They did try to do so in the 1920's, I believe, at the request of the Ecumenical Patriarch. They even had a Greek astronomer vouch for the calculations to give it some credibility, but it never caught on. The Russians and other churches probably weren't behind it at all.

Finnish Orthodox celebrate according to the Gregorian Calendar, BTW. They are probably the only Orthodox church to do so.

Interesting. Thank you.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I know you probably knew some or all but I figured there probably are many that don’t

It was very helpful having it all in one place and added to this thread.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I understand this -yet it still makes no sense that there are differing dates.
The vernal Equinox is an event that takes place in the sky, not a date on a calendar.
That all Christians are not celebrating on the same Sunday means one or the other is incorrect on the dating, imho.
The Orthodox Paschalion at Orthodox Wiki

Haha I admit that was my thinking too. Calendar or no, whatever numerical date you affix to it, the Equinox happens when it happens. Even if you call it the 47th of Triptide.