When Is Easter 2014? Why Does Easter Change Every Year? Who ...

When is Easter 2014? Why does Easter change every year? Who decides when Easter is?

Need to know when Easter falls and when the long bank holiday begins and ends? You've come to the right place

What's OnVictoria Jones15:04, 13 Mar 2014Updated 15:22, 20 Mar 2014

The Easter story is at the very heart of Christian calendar, with celebrations taking place around the world to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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Easter eggs and bunnies have become a symbol of the holiday and it wouldn't be Easter without indulging on chocolate, with supermarkets brimming with sweet treats already.

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But Easter Sunday falls on different dates annually, and it's set to be later in the year for 2014.

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So when is Easter 2014?

Easter Sunday falls on April 20 this year. The long bank holiday weekend begins on Good Friday, April 18, and Easter Monday on April 21 is the final day in the bank holiday festivities.

In Western Christianity, Easter always falls between 22 March and 25 April.

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Videos: How to make an Easter bonnet

Why does Easter change every year?

While many festivals are on fixed days, Easter is a movable feast and is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon on or after 21 March because it is based on the lunar calendar.

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20 family days out in Wales this Easter:

20 family days out in Wales this Easter

Who decides when Easter is?

The First Council of Nicea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325.

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They made decisions in an effort to attain a consensus on several Christian topics.

Based on the paschal full moon, it was decided by the bishops that Easter Day would fall on the next full moon after the spring equinox.

This was because Easter must fall on a Sunday as it was the day of Christ’s Resurrection.

‌When is Easter?

The paschal full moon was chosen because the date of Passover in the Jewish calendar, and the Last Supper (Holy Thursday) occurred on the Passover. Therefore, Easter is the Sunday after Passover.

But since the paschal full moon can be on different days in different time zones, it was decided that the full moon is always determined to be the 14th day of the lunar month.

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Even though the spring equinox can occur on March 20 the Church also fixes the spring equinox as March 21.

When do the schools break up for Easter?

The Easter holidays fall between 14-28 April in local authorities across Wales, see the Welsh Government's school term and holiday dates 2013 to 2014 , or your council's website for specific dates.