[ALBSA-Info] The Orthodox Christian Easter Date: May 5, 2002

[Albanian Orthodox Church]

Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America
Boston, Massachusetts

For your information.

1. For Orthodox Christians there are these conditions for determining the
Easter ( Paschal ) Date: 
The commemoration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is determined to be
celebrated on:
 a.) The First Sunday, after
 b.) The First Full Moon, after
 c.) The Spring Quinox, and
 d.) Always following the conclusion of Passover. 

2. In other Christian Churches, sometimes Easter precedes, sometimes
follows, and sometimes it is at the same time as Passover. With the
Orthodox, it is always after Pesach's conclusion (maybe even long after.)

 3. Furthmore, at some point in history, the Jews changed their calendar
( prob updated it from Julian to Gregorian, not sure. Both of which are
off, but the Julian moreso. We need another update today, I'm told. )  
Orthodox Christians however, employ the Jewish calendar used at the time
when Jesus lived.

 In Early Christian times, the principal site for precise determinations
was accorded to the Church of Alexandria (Egypt), owing to that historic
city's fame as an astronomical, academic and scientific center of
research.  Even to this day, the Church of Alexandria (and its methods )
continues to be relied upon to determine the Easter date.  

Recently, a congress of Orthodox theologians have prepared an analysis
and recommendations for a Common Celebration of Pascha for all
Christians.  It has yet to be discussed fully by worldwide Orthodoxy and
its promulgation is yet under advisement.
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