Mary Fairchild offers the short answer:
At the heart of the matter lies a very simple explanation. The early church fathers wished to keep the observance of Easter in correlation to the Jewish Passover. Because the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ happened after the Passover, they wanted Easter to always be celebrated subsequent to the Passover. And, since the Jewish holiday calendar is based on solar and lunar cycles, each feast day is movable, with dates shifting from year to year. Now, from here the explanation grows more complicated.
You can read her longer and more complicate and informative answer here.
1 comment:
Every time I've tried to explain the date of Easter I have seen the look of eager anticipation dissolve into confusion followed by disinterest. So much for me. In the meantime, my audience had generally fallen asleep or disappeared. Thanks for this link to a clear and concise explanation.
CP
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