Editing Reform of the date of Easter (section)

== Unified date ==

Proposals to resolve the second problem have made greater progress, but they are yet to be adopted.
{{Table of dates of Easter|format=dmy|min=2001|max=2025}}

=== 1923 proposal ===

An astronomical rule for Easter was proposed by the 1923 [[Pan-Orthodox Congress of Constantinople]] that also proposed the [[Revised Julian calendar]]: Easter was to be the Sunday after the midnight-to-midnight day at the meridian of the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre]] in [[Jerusalem]] (35°&thinsp;13′&thinsp;47.2″&thinsp;E or UT&thinsp;+&thinsp;2<sup>h</sup>&thinsp;20<sup>m</sup>&thinsp;55<sup>s</sup> for the small dome over the Greek [[Choir (architecture)|quire]]) during which the first [[full moon]] after the vernal equinox occurs.<ref name="Milankovitch1923">{{cite journal|last1=Milankovitch|first1=M.|title=Das Ende des julianischen Kalenders und der neue Kalender der orientalischen Kirchen|journal=Astronomische Nachrichten |volume=220 |issue=23|year=1923 |pages=379–384|issn=0004-6337 |doi=10.1002/asna.19232202303 |language=de|bibcode=1924AN....220..379M}}</ref><ref name="Shields1924">{{Cite journal | title = The new calendar of the eastern churches | last = Shields | first = Miriam Nancy | journal= Popular Astronomy|volume=32|page=407 | date = 1924 |bibcode=1924PA.....32..407S | quote =  This is a translation of Milankovitch, 1923 }}</ref>

Although the instant of the full moon must occur after the instant of the vernal equinox, it may occur on the same day. If the full moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter is the following Sunday. This proposed astronomical rule was rejected by all Orthodox churches, and was never considered by any Western church.

=== 1997 proposal ===

{{main|Aleppo Easter dating method}}
The [[World Council of Churches]] (WCC) proposed a [[Aleppo Easter dating method|reform of the method of determining the date of Easter]] at a summit in [[Aleppo]], [[Syria]], in 1997:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/commissions/faith-and-order/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/towards-a-common-date-for-easter/index|title=Towards a Common Date of Easter - World Council of Churches/Middle East Council of Churches Consultation Aleppo, Syria, March 5–10, 1997|publisher=[[World Council of Churches]]|date=10 March 1997|access-date=13 April 2015|archive-date=20 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620205601/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/commissions/faith-and-order/i-unity-the-church-and-its-mission/towards-a-common-date-for-easter/index|url-status=dead}}</ref> Easter would be defined as the first Sunday following the first [[Astronomy|astronomical]] [[full moon]] following the astronomical [[March equinox|vernal equinox]], as determined from the [[meridian (geography)|meridian]] of [[Jerusalem in Christianity|Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite web|title=World Council of Churches Press Release: THE DATE OF EASTER: SCIENCE OFFERS SOLUTION TO ANCIENT RELIGIOUS PROBLEM|url=http://www.smart.net/~mmontes/pr.wcc.19970324.html|date=24 March 1997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626033549/http://www.smart.net/~mmontes/pr.wcc.19970324.html |archive-date=2012-06-26}}</ref> The reform would have been implemented starting in 2001, since in that year the Eastern and Western dates of Easter would coincide.

This reform has not been implemented. It would have relied mainly on the co-operation of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], since the date of Easter would change for them immediately; whereas for the Western churches, the new system would not differ from that currently in use until 2019. However, Eastern Orthodox support was not forthcoming, and the reform failed.<ref>{{cite web|author=Luke Luhl|title=The Proposal for a Common Date to Celebrate Pascha and Easter|url=http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/common_luhl.aspx|publisher=Orthodox Christian Information Center|year=1997}}</ref> The much greater impact that this reform would have had on the Eastern churches in comparison with those of the West led some Orthodox to suspect that the WCC's decision was an attempt by the West to impose its viewpoint unilaterally on the rest of the world under the guise of [[ecumenism]]. However, it could also be argued that it is fair to ask a significant change of Eastern Christians, as they would be simply making the same substantial changes the various Western Churches have already made in 1582 (when the Catholic Church first adopted the Gregorian calendar) and subsequent years so as to bring the calendar and Easter more in line with the seasons.

=== 2008–2009 proposals ===

In 2008 and 2009, there was a new attempt to reach a consensus on a unified date on the part of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant leaders.<ref name="Sandri">{{Cite web | title = New attempt to achieve a common date for Easter | last = Sandri | first = Luigi | work = Ekklesia | date = 6 December 2008 | access-date = 2016-01-24 | url = http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/8130 }}</ref><ref name="Ekklesia">{{Cite web | title = Hope for a common date for Easter affirmed again | work = Ekklesia  | date = 29 May 2009 | access-date = 2016-01-24 | url = http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9553 }}</ref> This effort largely relies on earlier work carried out during the 1997 Aleppo conference.<ref name="byzcath.org"/><ref name="Christianpost">{{cite web |url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/ecumenical-christians-look-forward-to-shared-easter-dates-38932/ |title=Ecumenical Christians Look Forward to Shared Easter Dates |newspaper=Christianpost.com |date=1 June 2009 |author= Aaron J. Leichman |access-date= 2016-01-24}}</ref> It was organized by academics working at the Institute of Ecumenical Studies of [[Lviv University]].<ref name="CathNews ">{{Cite web|title=Hopes rise for East-West common Easter |work=CathNews |date=29 May 2009 |access-date=2016-01-24 |url=http://cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=14084 |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130209094946/http://cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=14084 }}</ref>

Part of this attempt was reportedly influenced by ecumenical efforts in Syria and Lebanon, where the [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church|Greek-Melkite Church]] has played an important role in improving ties with the Orthodox.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.soufanieh.com/PETITION/19820107.lettre.unite.eveques.htm| title = 1982 petition for a unified Easter date}}</ref><ref name="Spero">{{Cite web | title = Christians eye common date for Easter | work = Spero News | date = 8 December 2008 | access-date = 2016-01-24 | url = http://www.speroforum.com/a/16989/Christians-eye-common-date-for-Easter#.VqTRtlnwhek | archive-date = 2016-01-30 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160130144048/http://www.speroforum.com/a/16989/Christians-eye-common-date-for-Easter#.VqTRtlnwhek | url-status = dead }}</ref> There is also a series of apparition phenomena known as [[Our Lady of Soufanieh]] that has urged for a common date of Easter.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.soufanieh.com/PETITION/petition.htm| title = Petition for a Common date of Easter}}</ref>

=== 2014–present proposals ===
{{anchor|2014-2016 proposals}}
In May&nbsp;2015, on the anniversary of the meeting between him and Pope Francis, Coptic [[Pope Tawadros II]] wrote a letter to Pope Francis asking for him to consider renewing effort at a unified date for Easter.<ref name="2015-06-19_CNA">{{cite news |title=Will Pope Francis change the date of Easter? |publisher=[[Catholic News Agency]] |date=19 June 2015 |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/32189/will-pope-francis-change-the-date-of-easter |access-date=21 June 2015}}</ref>

In response, on 12&nbsp;June 2015, Catholic [[Pope Francis]] remarked to the [[Catholic Charismatic Renewal|International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services]] 3rd World Retreat of Priests at the [[Basilica of Saint John Lateran]] in [[Rome]] that "we have to come to an agreement" for a common date on Easter. {{Interlanguage link|Lucetta Scaraffia|it}}, a historian, writing in the Vatican daily newspaper ''[[L'Osservatore Romano]]'', said the Pope offered this initiative to change the date of Easter "as a gift of unity with the other Christian churches" adding that a common date for Easter would encourage "reconciliation between the Christian churches and ... a sort of making sense out of the calendar". A week later [[Aphrem II]], the Syriac Orthodox [[Patriarch of Antioch#Current patriarchs|Patriarch of Antioch]], met with Pope Francis and noted that the celebration of Easter "on two different dates is a source of great discomfort and weakens the common witness of the church in the world."<ref>{{cite news | last = Ieraci | first = Laura | date = June 19, 2015 | title = Pope, Orthodox patriarch express commitment for unity | periodical = National Catholic Reporter | url = http://ncronline.org/blogs/francis-chronicles/pope-orthodox-patriarch-express-commitment-unity | access-date = 16 January 2016}}</ref>

In January&nbsp;2016, the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], [[Justin Welby]], announced that he on behalf of the [[Anglican Communion]] had joined discussions with Catholic, Coptic, and Orthodox representatives over a fixed date for Easter, and that he hoped it would happen within the next 5–10&nbsp;years.<ref>{{cite news |title = Archbishop Justin Welby hopes for fixed Easter date |work = BBC News |date = 15 January 2016 |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35326237 |access-date = 2016-01-16}}</ref> Welby suggested that Easter be fixed on either the second or third Sunday of April, relative to the Gregorian calendar.<ref name="Telegraph ">{{Cite web | title = Easter date to be fixed 'within next 5 to 10&nbsp;years' | last1 = Bingham | first1 = John | last2 = Jamieson | first2 = Sophie | work = The Telegraph | date = 16 January 2016 | access-date = 2016-01-24 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/12102278/Easter-date-to-be-fixed-within-next-five-to-10-years.html | quote = He said that Easter should most likely be fixed for the second or third Sunday of April }}</ref> This proposal remains to be approved, especially by Eastern churches, which currently determine Easter using the Julian calendar.

Statements in 2021 and 2025 by the Vatican<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solemnity of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle - Celebration of Second Vespers (25 January 2025) {{!}} Francis |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2025/documents/20250125-vespri-unita-cristiani.html |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=www.vatican.va}}</ref> and Orthodox churches<ref>[https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/246838/vatican-cardinal-supports-common-easter-date-for-catholics-orthodox Catholic News Agency (CNA), 2021-03-12: Vatican cardinal supports common Easter date for Catholics, Orthodox]</ref> state the goal to achieve consensus by 2025, just in time for the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, but without publishing any specific plans or who would adopt which changes. The Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches has arranged conferences to mark the event.

On November 10, 2022, [[Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople]] stated that both the Orthodox and Catholic sides have a good intention to finally establish a common date for the celebration of Easter before the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the [[First Council of Nicaea]], which took place in 325; however, it was too early to talk about details.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-12 |title=Catholic, Orthodox Christians mull common date for celebrating Easter - Bartholomew |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-society/3612882-catholic-orthodox-christians-mull-common-date-for-celebrating-easter-bartholomew.html |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.ukrinform.net |language=en}}</ref> In 2024 he again called on "Western and Eastern Christians to celebrate Easter on the same date, starting from 2025".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ecumenical Patriarch considers agreement on 2025 Easter date possible |url=https://english.katholisch.de/artikel/52307-ecumenical-patriarch-considers-agreement-on-2025-easter-date-possible |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=english.katholisch.de |language=de}}</ref>

According to [[ISO week date|international standards]], Easter Sunday ends the week containing Good Friday and the week of the second Sunday in April has the ordinal number 14 or 15&nbsp;([[dominical letter]]s D/DC, E/ED, F/FE and GF, i.e. 46.25% of years), hence the third Sunday is one respective week later. There currently is no public proposal under discussion that used a fixed [[week]] of the year for Easter and dependent feasts. The second Sunday in April is usually the 15th&nbsp;Sunday of the year (except for dominical letter G, 10.75%), which is almost always also the Sunday after the second Saturday in April (except for dominical letter AG, 3.75%).

{{Table of dates of Easter|format=dmy|min={{CURRENTYEAR}}|max=2040|notes=off|fixed=on}}