Easter, one of Christianity’s most sacred holidays, marks the celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. It concludes Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Holy Saturday. This sacred day has always been celebrated on a Sunday, but the reasons behind this go far beyond simple tradition.
According to the Bible, Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week—Sunday. This scriptural basis led many early Christians to associate Sunday with the resurrection. However, the date of Easter wasn’t always fixed. In the early centuries, Christians in different regions celebrated it on varying dates, often in alignment with the Jewish Passover, which falls on the 14th day of Nissan in the Jewish calendar.
In Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), some Christians celebrated Easter on the actual day of Passover, regardless of the weekday. This sparked a major debate in the early church. Around 190 AD, Bishop Victor of Rome insisted Easter must be celebrated on a Sunday and even threatened excommunication for those who didn’t comply—though he later backed down.
The practice was firmly established in 325 AD during the Council of Nicaea, led by Emperor Constantine. The council ruled that Easter would fall on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This method ensures Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25.
This year, Easter is celebrated on April 20, as determined by this lunar-solar calculation. Though its date changes each year, the significance remains unchanged—a celebration of hope, renewal, and resurrection.