Blame it on the moon
2011-04-21
THIS Easter weekend can almost be compared to Christmas with all the public holidays converging into one long holiday for many. And especially those who are wondering why Easter is so late this year, the answer is very simple just blame it on the moon. Easter is determined by the phases of the moon. Easter Sunday always falls on the Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Twice a year, around late March and September, the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal everywhere in the world. These two days are known as the vernal equinox. Easter is thus a moveable feast that does not fall on a fixed date. In the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus’s death and resurrection occurred around the time of the Jewish Passover, which was celebrated on the first full moon following the vernal equinox. Early sources showed that this soon led to Christians around the world celebrating Easter on different dates. At the end of the second century, some churches celebrated Easter on the day of the Passover, while others celebrated it on the following Sunday. The latest date for Easter is April 25th. This last occurred in 1943 and will not happen again until 2028. The earliest date for Easter is March 22. This last occurred in 1818 and will only take place again in 2285. So Easter can be any time between March 22 and April 25. And thanks to Easter falling so late into April this year, it coincides with two other public holidays, Freedom Day and Workers’ Day. So if the working public take only three days’ leave, they will end up having 11 days’ holiday. And due to all these public holidays falling together, the Department of Education has been so kind as to close schools over this time as well (source: minnesota.cbslocal.com).
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