If an arguably arbitrary date could be decided on for Christmas, why
can’t the same be done for Easter?
Instead, we have a relatively obscure calculation summarised by a
decision taken by the Council of Nicaea in 325.
They established that Easter would be held on the first Sunday after the first
Full Moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox. From that point forward,
the Easter date depended on the ecclesiastical approximation of March
21 for the vernal equinox.
Another factor affecting the change is because the full moon can fall on
different days in different time zones.
I ask you, in all sincerity, is that crystal clear even to those of the
faith?
Imagine if the date of Christmas was subject to the same arguably
bizarre calculations!
To complicate matters further, in the East they use the Julian calendar, so
they have a different Easter Sunday – April 8 in 2019.
The changing dates of Easter Sunday impacts significantly on the faithful
and the faithless. Schools have to adjust examination schedules and
summer terms with an impact on child care arrangements and parental
holidays from work.
Businesses, large and small, have to alter production schedules and holiday
closures and both employers and employees are now lobbying for a date to
be fixed instead.
In 2016, the Archbishop of Canterbury suggested making Easter Sunday a
fixed date.
The current system lacks clarity, lacks consideration for others and, for the
vast majority of people must make little sense.
Sources suggest that any change won't happen for at least five years
because the calendars have already been printed out.
But surely, change it must!
Anon
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