Why easter fluctuates

Most Christians know Ash Wednesday's date depends on Easter, but wouldn't it be much simpler and easier to remember if Jesus Christ's resurrection were celebrated on a set day, the way holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day are observed? Here's a look at why that's not the case. Ash Wednesday signals the period of 40 days before Easter, called Lent, when observants typically "give up" some earthly pleasure wine, chocolate as a form of penance.

But what does Ash Wednesday mean? The holiday stems from the Old Testament book of Daniel that associated fasting with ashes , according to priest and Duke Divinity School assistant professor Lauren F.

Its main ritual involves a priest invoking Genesis "for you are dust, and to dust you shall return" while anointing congregants' foreheads with a mix of ash from Palm Sunday—itself derived from the story of Christ's route to Jerusalem being padded by palm fronds—and sometimes oil. Lent is an acknowledgment of the 40 days the Bible says Christ spent in the wilderness.

Because Ash Wednesday kicks off the Lenten season, its date is always exactly 46 days before Easter 40 days of Lent, plus six, as each Sunday is skipped and thus is affected directly by what date Easter falls on that year. This year, Ash Wednesday begins on Wednesday, February 17, Next year, Easter Sunday is even a little later—April Regardless of the exact date, the reason to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus remains constant.

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Lindsay Dodgson. Easter falls on a different date every year. This is because it is determined by the Jewish calendar, which is based on lunar cycles, and Easter should fall the Sunday after the Passover full moon. However, this year, it's even more complicated because Easter Sunday is much later than it should be.

Here's how to work out when Easter will fall every year. Sign up for Sidekick to get the best recs for smarter living. Loading Something is loading.