Question 1

Which Christian holidays change date each year?

Accepted Answer

The moveable feasts all depend on Easter, which shifts every year. That includes Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Ascension, and Pentecost. Fixed feasts like Christmas on December 25 and All Saints Day on November 1 keep the same date.

Question 2

What is a moveable feast?

Accepted Answer

A moveable feast is one whose date changes from year to year because it is tied to Easter rather than to a fixed calendar date. Easter itself is the main moveable feast, and the others fall a set number of days before or after it.

Question 3

How is the date of Easter calculated?

Accepted Answer

Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. That ties it to the lunar calendar, so it can land anywhere between March 22 and April 25.

Question 4

Why do Western and Orthodox Easter dates differ?

Accepted Answer

Western churches calculate Easter with the Gregorian calendar, while Orthodox churches use the older Julian calendar. The two dates often differ by a week or more, though they sometimes fall on the same Sunday.

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