As the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the early Saints in Corinth, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
"But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming" (1 Corinthians 15:19-23).
The date for Easter varies each year. Simply speaking, it is the Sunday that follows the first full moon that occurs after the spring equinox. The actual calculations are a wee bit more complicated than that, resulting in differing dates being observed during most years between Eastern Orthodox and western branches of Christianity. Under the existing formula, the earliest date Easter can fall is March 22 and the latest date is April 25.
Last year Easter Sunday fell on April 4. This year on April 24. Next year on April 8. And the year after that [2013] on March 31.
There have been efforts throughout the years to reform the dates when Easter is celebrated, such as simply selecting the second Sunday of April, but none has gained traction.
In many countries, particularly in Europe, the day following Easter is celebrated as a legal holiday known as Easter Monday.
Aside from its strictly religious importance, many pagan influences (and more recently commercial influences) have crept into the observance of Easter: such things as Easter bunnies, Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts, and Easter candy. Such secular customs in today's celebrations are often observed by Christians and non-Christians alike.
