Why is Easter hardly on the same Sunday?
(NEXSTAR) — Did you have to check your calendar a few times this year to confirm which Sunday Easter falls on this year? You aren't alone.
Unlike other major holidays, Easter is on a different date every year. This has to do with the moon.
Easter is a Christian festivity that marks the resurrection of Jesus, which is always celebrated in March or April. Where it falls on the calendar will vary based on the first full moon after the vernal equinox.
Specifically, Easter lands on the first Sunday after that full moon, Kim Mandelkow, director of the Office for Worship with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, previously told Nexstar.
This year, however, is slightly off of that mark. The first full moon was on Saturday, April 12, but Easter Sunday is on April 20. By pushing Easter back roughly a week from the full moon, another major part of the Easter season can still be celebrated: Holy Week.
That starts with Palm Sunday, which was marked on April 13, followed by Holy Monday, Fig (or Holy) Tuesday, Spy (or Holy) Wednesday, Maundy (or Holy) Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
Because of the Saturday full moon, this year marks one of the latest days Easter can land on. The earliest we'll ever celebrate Easter is March 22, while the latest is April 25.
Having Easter on either of those days, though, is relatively rare, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. You’re actually most likely to see Easter falling on March 31 or April 16, which have the greatest frequencies of claiming the holiday.
Last year, we saw a unique but not uncommon occurrence when Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) landed on Valentine's Day. In 2029, the dates will fall on the same Wednesday again (and Easter will fall on April Fools’ Day), but that will be the last time the holidays will share a date for the rest of the century.
In case you're planning ahead, Easter falls on Sunday, April 5 in 2026.