Easter Sunday, March 23
CELEBRATION
The Date of Easter
Prior to A.D. 325, Easter was variously celebrated on different days of the week
including Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In that year, the Council of Nicaea was
convened by Emperor Constantine. It issued the Easter Rule which states that Easter shall be celebrated on the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox.
| Easter Sunday, March 23 |
6:45am
8:00am
9:30am
11:00am |
Sunrise Mass at Staring Lake
(In case of inclement weather,
Mass will be held at Pax Christi)
Easter Mass
Easter Mass
Easter Mass
(NO 5:00pm Sunday evening Mass) |
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Readings:
Colossians 3:1-4 or
1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
Gospel: John 20:1-9 or Matthew 28:1-10 |
However, a caveat must be introduced here. The "full moon" in the rule is the ecclesiastical full moon which is defined as the fourteenth day of a tabular lunation where day 1 corresponds to the ecclesiastical New Moon. It does not always occur on the same date as the astronomical full moon. The ecclesiastical "vernal equinox" is always on March 21. Therefore, Easter must be celebrated on a Sunday between the dates of March 22 and April 25.
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