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<small>''See also [[Easter]]''</small><br>

<small>''See also [[Easter]]''</small><br>

The word "easter" appears nowhere in the early bible, and its use in later translations is a mistranslation or substitution of the [[Greek]] word ''pascha'' ("passover"). Easter was established later in church history by the [[Roman Catholic]] Church, which does not claim these days as biblical, but rather that the Church had

The word "easter" appears nowhere in the early bible, and its use in later translations is a mistranslation or substitution of the [[Greek]] word ''pascha'' ("passover"). Easter was established later in church history by the [[Roman Catholic]] Church, which does not claim these days as biblical, but rather that the Church had

the authority to establish them.<ref>Geierman, Peter ''Question: Which is the Sabbath day? Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day. Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 336) transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.'' "The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine" (B. Herder Book Co., St. Louis; 1930) ISBN 0-8955-5029-6</ref> The church in Rome had begun to distance itself from relating the death of Jesus Christ to the Jewish Passover and instead began to time the celebration of the [[Resurrection]] of Jesus to coincide with the [[pagan]] rites of Attis. That the early Church continued to keep Passover as a memorial to the ''death'' of Jesus Christ on the 14th of Nisan is confirmed by the writers of the second century. Polycarp, a disciple of John the apostle, travelled to [[Rome]] to try to persuade the bishop of Rome to observe the 14th of Nisan as opposed to celebrating a feast of the ''resurrection'' several days later. Polycrates later in the 2nd century also contended with the Roman church in favor of the 14th of the first month, Jewish calendar. This  controversy became known in Church History as the "Quartodeciman controversy."<ref>Hunt, Keith [http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/how-often-should-christian-passover-lord-supper-be-taken.html ''How often should the Christian Passover (Lord's Supper) be taken?''] BibleStudy.org. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

the authority to establish them.<ref>Geierman, Peter ''Question: Which is the Sabbath day? Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day. Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 336) transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.'' "The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine" (B. Herder Book Co., St. Louis; 1930) ISBN 0-8955-5029-6</ref> The church in Rome had begun to distance itself from relating the death of Jesus Christ to the Jewish Passover and instead began to time the celebration of the [[Resurrection]] of Jesus to coincide with the first day of the week closest to the full moon of Passover as a memorial of the dawn of the very day of the week when Christ arose from the dead, the day following the Sabbath, according to [[the Gospels]]. That the early Church continued to keep Passover as a memorial to the ''death'' of Jesus Christ on the 14th of Nisan is confirmed by the writers of the second century. Polycarp, a disciple of John the apostle, travelled to [[Rome]] to try to persuade the bishop of Rome to observe the 14th of Nisan as opposed to celebrating a feast of the ''resurrection'' several days later. Polycrates later in the 2nd century also contended with the Roman church in favor of the 14th of the first month, Jewish calendar. This  controversy became known in Church History as the "Quartodeciman controversy."<ref>Hunt, Keith [http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/how-often-should-christian-passover-lord-supper-be-taken.html ''How often should the Christian Passover (Lord's Supper) be taken?''] BibleStudy.org. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>

At the end of the second century, Victor, the [[bishop]] of Rome began to threaten other Church leaders in an

At the end of the second century, Victor, the [[bishop]] of Rome began to threaten other Church leaders in an

The dispute continued until the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, ordered by the (pagan) Emperor Constantine to resolve various controversies that existed in the Church – including whether the Passover or Easter should be celebrated. In his order from the Council of Nicea he said:<blockquote>''Constantine, August, to the churches… When the question arose concerning the most holy day of Easter, it was decreed by common consent to be expedient, that this festival should be celebrated on the same day by all, in every place... it seemed to every one a most unworthy thing that we should follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this most holy solemnity, who, polluted wretches having stained their hands with a nefarious crime, are justly blinded in their minds. It is fit, therefore, that, rejecting the practice of this people, we should perpetuate to all future ages the celebration of this rite, in a more legitimate order, which we have kept from the first day of the Lord’s passion even to the present times. Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''<ref>Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref></blockquote>

The dispute continued until the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, ordered by the (pagan) Emperor Constantine to resolve various controversies that existed in the Church – including whether the Passover or Easter should be celebrated. In his order from the Council of Nicea he said:<blockquote>''Constantine, August, to the churches… When the question arose concerning the most holy day of Easter, it was decreed by common consent to be expedient, that this festival should be celebrated on the same day by all, in every place... it seemed to every one a most unworthy thing that we should follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this most holy solemnity, who, polluted wretches having stained their hands with a nefarious crime, are justly blinded in their minds. It is fit, therefore, that, rejecting the practice of this people, we should perpetuate to all future ages the celebration of this rite, in a more legitimate order, which we have kept from the first day of the Lord’s passion even to the present times. Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''<ref>Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref></blockquote>

==The first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox==

==The first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox==

The [[Orthodox Church]]es, the [[Catholic Church]], and the majority of the [[Protestantism|Protestant]] churches observe the Feast of the Resurrection, commonly called Easter Sunday, on the First Sunday after the first Full Moon on or after the Spring Equinox (the Vernal Equinox). This [[Equinox]] corresponds to the immediate point from which the first day of Nisan in the lunar calendar of Judaism is calculated. The first sighting of the first New Moon on or after the Vernal Equinox is the first day of Nisan. The first Full Moon follows fourteen days later, fourteen Nisan.  

The [[Orthodox Church]]es, the [[Catholic Church]], and the majority of the [[Protestantism|Protestant]] churches observe the Feast of the Resurrection, commonly called Easter Sunday, on the First Sunday after the first Full Moon on or after the Spring Equinox (the Vernal Equinox). This [[Equinox]] corresponds to the immediate point from which the first day of Nisan in the lunar calendar of Judaism is calculated. The first sighting of the first New Moon on or after the Vernal Equinox is the first day of Nisan. The first Full Moon follows fourteen days later, fourteen Nisan.