Why Are There Two Easters?

Today 2^nd May marks the Orthodox Easter also known as the Eastern Easter, which is the second easter after the Catholic Easter celebrated on 4^th May, or the Western Easter. Eastern European countries and Russian or other Eastern European expats in the West are celebrate two easters based on their church. So why are there two easters?

Different Calendars

Christian churches in Western countries use the Gregorian calendar, while churches in Eastern countries follow the Julian one.

Orthodox Christians and Western Christians, among them Catholics and Protestants, believe in the same God, and in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but one of their two most important holidays often takes place on different dates.

Eastern Orthodox

In eastern Orthodox Christianity, the preparations begin with Great Lent, 40 days of reflection and fasting, which starts on Clean Monday and ends on Lazarus Saturday.

Clean Monday refers to believers being cleaned of their sins during Lent. Lazarus Saturday falls eight days before Easter Sunday and signifies the end of Great Lent, although the fasting continues into Holy Week.

Next comes Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, remembering the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, followed by Holy Week, which ends on Easter Sunday.

Ecclesiastical Moons

The Orthodox Christian Easter always happens after the Jewish Passover celebrations. On the other hand, the Western Easter, is sometimes scheduled before Passover.