Catholic and Orthodox 🐰 Easter Calculator
Calculate Easter dates for both Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Easter is the most important Christian holiday, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The date varies each year as it's determined by complex astronomical and ecclesiastical rules.
Catholic Easter
Orthodox Easter
Easter Dates (2025-2044)
| Year | | Catholic Easter | | Orthodox Easter |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | April 20, 2025 | April 20, 2025 |
| 2026 | April 5, 2026 | April 12, 2026 |
| 2027 | March 28, 2027 | May 2, 2027 |
| 2028 | April 16, 2028 | April 16, 2028 |
| 2029 | April 1, 2029 | April 8, 2029 |
| 2030 | April 21, 2030 | April 28, 2030 |
| 2031 | April 13, 2031 | April 13, 2031 |
| 2032 | March 28, 2032 | May 2, 2032 |
| 2033 | April 17, 2033 | April 24, 2033 |
| 2034 | April 9, 2034 | April 9, 2034 |
| 2035 | March 25, 2035 | April 29, 2035 |
| 2036 | April 13, 2036 | April 20, 2036 |
| 2037 | April 5, 2037 | April 5, 2037 |
| 2038 | April 25, 2038 | April 25, 2038 |
| 2039 | April 10, 2039 | April 17, 2039 |
| 2040 | April 1, 2040 | April 1, 2040 |
| 2041 | April 21, 2041 | April 28, 2041 |
| 2042 | April 6, 2042 | April 13, 2042 |
| 2043 | March 29, 2043 | May 3, 2043 |
| 2044 | April 17, 2044 | April 24, 2044 |
Important Christian Dates
Ash Wednesday »
Marks the start of Lent, a time of fasting and reflection.
(46 days before Easter)
Good Friday »
Remembers the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
(The Friday before Easter)
What is Easter?
Easter is the most significant Christian holiday, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. According to Christian belief, Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead three days later on Easter Sunday. This event is central to Christian faith and represents:
- The triumph of life over death
- The fulfillment of God's promise of salvation
- The foundation of Christian hope and faith
- A time of spiritual renewal and celebration
While the religious significance remains the same, Easter is celebrated on different dates by Catholic and Orthodox Christians due to their use of different calendars (Gregorian vs Julian) and slightly different calculation methods.
Key Points
- Easter always falls on a Sunday
- Easter can occur as early as March 22 and as late as April 25
- The Orthodox Easter can be up to 5 weeks later than the Catholic Easter
- Both calculations are based on the first full moon after the spring equinox
How to Calculate Easter
The calculation of Easter dates is based on complex astronomical and ecclesiastical rules. Here's a simplified explanation of the algorithm:
Catholic Easter (Gregorian Calendar)
- Let Y be the year
- a = Y mod 19
- b = Y div 100
- c = Y mod 100
- d = b div 4
- e = b mod 4
- f = (b + 8) div 25
- g = (b - f + 1) div 3
- h = (19a + b - d - g + 15) mod 30
- i = c div 4
- k = c mod 4
- l = (32 + 2e + 2i - h - k) mod 7
- m = (a + 11h + 22l) div 451
- month = (h + l - 7m + 114) div 31
- day = ((h + l - 7m + 114) mod 31) + 1
Orthodox Easter (Julian Calendar)
The Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar for calculating Easter, which can result in different dates from the Catholic Easter. The calculation is similar but uses different constants and rules.
Movable Feasts and Liturgical Calendar
Easter is one of several important movable feasts in the Christian liturgical calendar. These dates change each year based on complex calculations and astronomical events. Here are some other significant movable feasts and how they're determined:
Christian Movable Feasts
- Ash Wednesday: 46 days before Easter Sunday (40 days of Lent plus 6 Sundays)
- Good Friday: The Friday before Easter Sunday
- Ascension Day: 40 days after Easter Sunday
- Pentecost (Whit Sunday): 50 days after Easter Sunday
- Trinity Sunday: The Sunday after Pentecost
- Corpus Christi: The Thursday after Trinity Sunday
Interesting Facts
- The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22, and the latest is April 25
- Orthodox Easter can fall up to 5 weeks after Catholic Easter due to calendar differences
- The calculation of Easter dates was standardized at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD
- Some Orthodox churches still use the Julian calendar for religious celebrations
- The date of Easter affects the timing of many other religious observances throughout the year
Jewish Movable Feasts
Jewish holidays also follow a movable calendar based on lunar cycles:
- Passover (Pesach): Begins on the 15th day of Nisan (first month of the Jewish calendar)
- Shavuot: 50 days after Passover
- Rosh Hashanah: First day of Tishrei (seventh month)
- Yom Kippur: 10th day of Tishrei
Islamic Movable Feasts
Islamic holidays follow a purely lunar calendar:
- Ramadan: Ninth month of the Islamic calendar
- Eid al-Fitr: First day of Shawwal (tenth month)
- Eid al-Adha: 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah (twelfth month)
How to Calculate Movable Feasts
The calculation of movable feasts involves several factors:
- Astronomical Events: Many feasts are tied to astronomical phenomena like full moons and equinoxes
- Calendar Systems: Different religious traditions use various calendar systems (Gregorian, Julian, Lunar)
- Ecclesiastical Rules: Religious authorities have established specific rules for calculating feast days
- Historical Precedents: Some calculations are based on historical events and traditional practices