Easter was early this year. Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20).
This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Based on the above information, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) that is rare.

Here's the interesting information. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here's the facts:

1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Interesting!
Betty

Passover is determined by the first full moon after the spring equinox (which came a day early this year due to leap year). That is why Easter is referred to as movable feast- there is a whole section in appendix of our prayer on how to calculate it. Easter cannot ever be before March 22 or later than April 25.

I am glad it does not come early very often. Corned beef and cabbage does not mix well with chocolate bunny ears and marshmallow chicks! I need more time to recouperate between holidays! LOL