Is Easter Coming Early this Year?

By Joanna Mendoza

Staff Writer

Easter arrives early in 2024 on March 31st. Easter, the most significant religious festival in Christianity, will be celebrated unusually early this year on March 31st. The annual celebration of Christ's resurrection after his crucifixion always falls on the first Sunday after the full moon and occurs on or just after the spring equinox around March 21st.

In 2024, the first full moon after the spring equinox happens on Tuesday, March 26th. Therefore, Easter Sunday falls on the very next Sunday, an earlier date than normal on March 31st.

       The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22nd, with the latest possible date being April 25th. The last time Easter arrived this early was in 2008 when it was celebrated on March 23rd. The next time Easter will fall on March 31st is in 2030.

An earlier Easter means the preceding Lenten season started earlier as well, on February 14th this year. The movable feast calendars mean dates like Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and others shift accordingly each year based on the lunar cycle.

For Christians, the earlier Easter date impacts church programming, holidays, and celebrations like Ash Wednesday services, Lenten fish fries, spring breaks, and more. However, the spiritual meanings of the season remain the same - commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Whether early or late in the season, the essence of Easter is unchanged as Christians worldwide rejoice and celebrate the foundations of their faith during this holy time of year.