Easter, a significant holiday in the Christian calendar, is a moveable feast, meaning that it is not fixed to a specific date on the calendar. Instead, it is celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox, which marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. This full moon is sometimes called the Paschal full moon.
To determine the date of Easter in 1974, we need to look at the astronomical events of that year. The vernal equinox in 1974 fell on March 20. The next full moon after this date was on March 20, 1974, itself, but since Easter must be celebrated on a Sunday, we look for the first Sunday after this full moon.
Given that the full moon occurred on March 20, the following Sunday would be March 24, 1974. Therefore, Easter in 1974 was celebrated on March 24.
It’s interesting to note how the calculation of Easter’s date involves a combination of solar and lunar cycles, reflecting the ancient Jewish tradition of celebrating Passover, from which the timing of Easter is derived. The complex rules for determining Easter’s date ensure that it falls between March 22 and April 25 in Western Christianity, which follows the Gregorian calendar. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, which follows the Julian calendar, Easter dates can sometimes differ due to discrepancies between the two calendars.
