Why is the Lenten season and Easter earlier?

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Belle10

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Yeah, I’m admitting I don’t know why. :o I probably should, but I never questioned it because to me, the timing isn’t important thing about the Lenten season and Easter (obviously). :rolleyes: So, why does it move around so much, and why is it so early this year? I got an explanation from a non-Catholic but it sounded weird, so I figured I’d ask here. 🙂
 
I would like an answer to this as well.
I’ve just always followed what was told and never really questioned it. What determines the Lenten Calendar?
 
Easter is based on when the Jewish Passover falls-- since Christ was crucified at Passover.

The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar, and therefore the date moves in relation to our calendar.

All other moveable feasts on the Liturgical Calendar are in relation to when Easter falls each year.
 
Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring. So if the first full moon in spring is early, then Easter and, consequently, Lent is earlier in the year. If the first full moon is later (i.e. 27 days later; 28 days for the moon cycle) then Easter falls later in the year as does Lent.
 
The earliest date on which Easter can fall is March 22, Holy Saturday, this year. The latest is April 25, I believe.
 
I read somewhere that this was the earliest Easter has been in 700 years. (Not sure if it is true, but, if so – WOW – that would have been back in the Middle Ages.)
 
IrishAm said:
I read somewhere that this was the earliest Easter has been in 700 years. (Not sure if it is true, but, if so – WOW – that would have been back in the Middle Ages.)
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Our pastor said something like 20 years.
 
IrishAm said:
I read somewhere that this was the earliest Easter has been in 700 years. (Not sure if it is true, but, if so – WOW – that would have been back in the Middle Ages.)
Click to expand...
KCT said:
Our pastor said something like 20 years.
Click to expand...
Not quite.
Easter falls on March 23 this year. The earliest Easter can occur is March 22. Here are the last (and next) dates where Easter can fall on the 22nd or 23rd:

1818: March 22
1913: March 23
2008: March 23
2160: March 23
2285: March 22
 
ack said:
Not quite.
Easter falls on March 23 this year. The earliest Easter can occur is March 22. Here are the last (and next) dates where Easter can fall on the 22nd or 23rd:

1818: March 22
1913: March 23
2008: March 23
2160: March 23
2285: March 22
Click to expand...
That’s funny that everyone has heard different numbers of years…I heard 100 years, and I guess that wasn’t too far off.
 
KCT said:
Our pastor said something like 20 years.
Click to expand...
I am 49, soon to be 50, my Birthday is March 25, this is the first time in my life that my birthday will not fall during Lent! So at the very minimum it is this early for the first time in 50 years!

Now it was relatively early a couple of years ago when March 25 was Good Friday, making Easter on March 27, still a very early Easter.😃

BrendaV.
 
My birthday is the 18th and it’s the first time my birthday has fallen during holy week. But the year I was born Easter was the 31st, and I think like 5 or so years ago it was around that date also.
 
😃 Actually, it is because Easter egg cycles have fallen off, resulting in too many eggs back at the factory. This is the bunny stimulus package for eggs, so that by having easter earlier, and putting more eggs in more baskets and yards (hidden for egg hunts), the eggs will not spoil.
 
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