Understanding the Calendar Differences: Easter vs. Passover
Explore why Easter and Passover dates vary widely due to differing calendars.
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Easter and Passover are sometimes far apart because they are based on different calendars. Easter, a Christian holiday, follows the Gregorian calendar and is set as the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox. Passover, a Jewish holiday, follows the Hebrew calendar and starts on the 15th of Nisan, which can vary in relation to the Gregorian calendar. This results in the holidays sometimes coinciding closely and other times being weeks apart.
FAQs & Answers
- Why do Easter and Passover sometimes coincide? Easter and Passover can coincide because they both depend on lunar calendars, despite being based on different systems.
- What determines the date of Easter? Easter is determined as the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox, according to the Gregorian calendar.
- When does Passover usually begin? Passover begins on the 15th of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar and its date changes each year on the Gregorian calendar.
- What are the main differences between the Gregorian and Hebrew calendars? The Gregorian calendar is solar-based, while the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, causing them to diverge in date alignments.