One of the most confusing holiday dates to memorize is that of Easter Sunday. This is because this celebration does not follow the standards of a traditional Gregorian calendar. It would not be easy to determine the exact day it falls on without consulting some dates and the phases of the moon because the holiday follows the lunar calendar. When does Easter Sunday fall in 2018?
The Easter season actually starts on Good Friday, which falls on March 30. This is the second bank holiday of the year in Britain. This also means that Easter Sunday falls on April 1. Incidentally, that date is also known as April Fool's Day.
Easter Sunday is also known for being the second public holiday of the year in Britain, preceded only by New Year's Day. Employees get two days off — on April 1 and on April 2, which is also known as Easter Monday.
But why does Easter Sunday fall on this particular date?
As mentioned, Easter Sunday's specific date is decided by the Lunar calendar. Simply put, it always has to fall on the first Sunday following the full moon at Passover — widely believed to be the day of Jesus' last supper with his disciples.
This puts the date on the Sunday that follows the first full moon after the spring equinox, which is around March 20. It places Easter Sunday at any time between March 22 and April 25.
The date for Easter have been decided in 325 AD (anno domini — "in the year of the Lord"), and the general rule for determining the date has not changed since. It was decided during the First Council of Nicaea, in which the Roman emperor Constantine I decided to consolidate Christian teachings and to get a consensus regarding various aspects of the faith.
It is not surprising that certain groups of people want to change Easter Sunday to a more recognizable date; this is more a matter of convenience. But seeing as most people plan their holidays around Easter, there are lobby groups that think changing the date (so that it would be easier to follow) would boost the economy, presumably via tourism.
