CNA explains: Why Eastern and Western Easter dates differ — and why 2025 is different

[Michie]

While Easter dates usually differ between Eastern and Western Christians, this year both Easter celebrations land on the same day — a coincidence that could be an opportunity for progress in ecumenical dialogue.

This year’s Easter falls in the 1,700th anniversary year of the Council of Nicaea — the first ecumenical council that was held in the fourth century. Most known for defending the divinity of Christ against the heresy of Arianism, the council also established a universal formula for calculating the date of Easter.

Nicaea decreed that Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. The Julian calendar, which was the standard at the time, had a fixed date for the spring equinox. The fixed Easter date, based on the Julian calendar, was gradually implemented.

Centuries after the council, Western churches switched to the Gregorian calendar due to inaccuracies in the Julian calendar, while the Eastern Church has continued to use the Julian calendar for religious feast days. Both East and West follow the council, but they have different starting points and therefore different Easter dates.

Continued below.

CNA explains: Why Eastern and Western Easter dates differ

The Council of Nicaea's 1,700th anniversary marks a rare unified Easter in 2025, sparking hope for Christian unity.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

 

[Mockingbird0]

While Easter dates usually differ between Eastern and Western Christians, this year both Easter celebrations land on the same day — a coincidence that could be an opportunity for progress in ecumenical dialogue.

Patriarch Bartholomew can get the ball rolling by stating that he will not break communion with parishes that celebrate Easter using the Gregorian paschalion. In order to get people united, we need to let them be disunited for a while.