UPDATED – see “Clarification” below.
Today is the Solstice. Soon, in Aotearoa New Zealand, we will be celebrating Matariki, the start of the Māori New Year, marked by the rising of the constellation Matariki (the Pleiades) [some tribal areas focus on “Puaka” (or pronounced Puanga), also called Rigel. This references the star that brings in this New Year because it always rises before Matariki].
But… I suspect the majority of Kiwis have not seen Matariki (the Pleiades), let alone Puanga/Rigel. I suspect many (most?) Kiwis couldn’t tell you what the Solstice is, or know that it is today. I suspect most would struggle to say in which direction the Moon waxes and wanes; and I think most would struggle to say what the phase of the Moon is today. Translate these points (and more) to your own country and context.
Relatedly, before I explain the point to those who don’t see the connections: there’s a wonderful Michael Leunig cartoon where a couple are sitting in front of a television on which is a sunset – through the window you can see a wonderful sunset in real life.
My point: most people are disconnected from a lot of our creation, from nature, from the environment.
Now there is a Christian and spirituality point here: the desert, Abrahamic faiths are strongly connected to these things in nature. As just one example, New Moon is the beginning of the month for Judaism and Islam.
Why am I bringing this up now: I have been part of online discussions about fixing Easter Day to the first or second Sunday in April. Now, to be clear, if the majority of Christians by far agree to do this, I will not break unity with them. But, in Christian history so far, Christians have tied Easter Day to the Full Moon at the Equinox. The only dispute has been whether to have it on the day of the Full Moon (and hence on any day of the week) or to have it on the Sunday after the Full Moon. The Council of Nicaea decided that we should have Easter Day always falling on a Sunday, the Sunday after the Full Moon on or after the Equinox.
Following that decision, in 325 AD, a method of calculating Easter Day was developed. This method involved fixing the Equinox to a calendar day and calculating the date of the full moon. In 1582 the calendar was changed when we realised that having every fourth year as a Leap Year was getting us out of sync with the Solar Year. Most people changed to the Gregorian Calendar (where a century is only a leap year if divisible by 400); some stayed with the Julian Calendar, so that most years there are two different Easter Days.
Our Astronomical Science is better now, and we could abandon the table calculations, which are fixed to calendar dates, and follow Nicaea’s rule from contemporary Astronomical Science.
And in 2025, exactly 20 centuries after the Council of Nicaea, not only are the Gregorian and Julian Easter Days on the same day, but that is also the day of the Astronomical Easter Day (Astronomical Easter is the first Sunday after the astronomical full moon after the astronomical March equinox as measured at the meridian of Jerusalem).
2025 feels very close to be abandoning our planning ahead about the date of Easter Day by then. But: there wouldn’t be a change until 2026. In that year, Astronomical (and Gregorian) Easter Day is April 5; Julian Easter Day is a week later.
In the online discussion people presented two plusses for fixing Easter Day to the first or second Sunday in April. Hoping not to misrepresent them: (1) it would allow school holidays to be in a more consistent place so that Good Friday would be a school holiday day allowing school-age children and others to go to church some time between noon and 3pm on Good Friday; and (2) it would allow for an easier-to-follow lectionary. [If there are other reasons, do add them in the comments].
I’m sorry, but I cannot get excited about either of those two reasons.
1) In an increasingly secular age, in which, increasingly, the surrounding culture ignores the (foundational) Christian faith, I don’t see that school holidays will necessarily continue to take much notice of Christian festivals. Nor do I think that, under the current system, Good Friday services in New Zealand are full of students on holiday. Oddly – and maybe highlighting my point – in New Zealand, Good Friday and Easter Monday currently are public holidays, but Sunday, Easter Day, is NOT a public holiday. Shops can open on Easter Day as on any other day [Clarification after private correspondence: “Only Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays. Easter Sunday is not a public holiday, and shops can choose to open if their local council lets them“]. Those who are energetic about fixing Easter Day to the first or second Sunday of April, seem to not be bringing much energy to advocating for an Easter Day public holiday. As for making services match people’s working week, Roman Catholics generally provide for a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening, so people (who work on Sunday) can fulfil their “Sunday” church attendance. Furthermore, the Eucharist is normally celebrated daily allowing for (say hospitality workers and others) who have days off other than the traditional weekend to attend church. I do not see Anglicans advocating for fixing Easter Day providing such services; nor do I hear much discussion around this.
2) The current lectionary system, where the Lent-Easter weeks move with Easter Day, is perfectly simple to understand. To be fair, liturgical (and lectionary) catechesis is sorely lacking, especially amongst Anglicans.
The readings for today are ALWAYS the Thursday readings that fall between 16 and 22 June. The readings this coming Sunday (The 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time) are ALWAYS the ones for the Sunday that falls between 19 and 25 June. Whatever lectionary system you design, you will need to take account of some years having 52 and some having 53 Sundays.
In the discussions, it was problematic for some that an Ordinary Sunday (and weekdays) can occur before or after the Lent-Easter weeks. In a book that lays out the readings, normally Ordinary Sundays (and weeks) are located continuously in one place so that you either have to turn back to them before the Lent section or forward after the Easter section. This is simply paper saving rather than an issue with the system. One could produce a book which repeats those few Sundays that can fall either before or after the Lent-Easter weeks. In any case, there are plenty of lectionary apps now, and people can simply use the provision on their phone.
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Thank you for this. The idea of a fixed date for Easter really ruffles my feathers. The resurrection interrupted history and interrupts our lives. I think it’s fitting that it continues to do that by interrupting our calendar plans each year.
Thanks, David – I LOVE this perspective; I can imagine readers here tucking this image into their minds for a future Easter sermon. With a Maths & Science degree, I find the concept of the resurrection as a singularity very helpful. Blessings.
The resurrection as singularity event is a great perspective. I have an astronomy/ physics degree so I appreciate the tie ins also. With astronomy, the sun and moon having a say on when Easter is connects the resurrection to all creation.
Since it connects to my background a bit as well, Astronomical Easter seems the most authentic. Gregorian Easter gets us there well enough and at least lines up most of the time. Julian Easter loses me as eventually the orthodox, given enough time, will be celebrating Easter in the middle of summer/winter depending on hemisphere and will continue to drift.
Thanks, David. Very helpful points. Blessings.