Thus it is that Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the new moon following the northern hemisphere's vernal equinox. While cultural details, such as an association with the vernal equinox and the name "Easter," remained, the religious aspect of the celebration completely changed. As Christianity spread, the belief in the new life in Christ took over pagan spring fertility ceremonies. The date on which we celebrate Easter has more to do with pagan holidays. ![]() In fact, the date of Jesus' resurrection and the date that we celebrate Easter have only two connections: the early church held that Jesus was resurrected on a Sunday, and Passover is in the spring. The most that can be said was that Jesus was crucified around the Passover (the 15th of Nisan), sometime during Pilate's rule (AD 26-36). Even if the timeframe of the crucifixion and resurrection could be determined within the week, we still don't know the specific date-or even the year. While the Bible tells us that Jesus was crucified the day before the Sabbath (John 19:31), there is speculation that the Sabbath in question may not have been the Friday-evening to Saturday-evening weekly Sabbath, but the day of the Passover. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact date of Jesus' resurrection. How do we determine the date to celebrate Easter?
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