wfn.org | WCC -- Praying and working together for unity: Reflections on pursuing a common date for Eas

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World Council of Churches
Feature
For Immediate Use
9 April 2001

Praying and working together for unity: 
Reflections on pursuing a common date for Easter

This year Christians in East and West will celebrate Easter/Pascha on the same day, 15 April - a precious gift at the start of the new millennium.  On this, Christians around the world are agreed.   

If Christians in East and West are united in their belief in the Resurrection,  why then do they celebrate Easter on different dates?  The reason is that two different calendars are used to calculate the date of Easter.  One is the 16th-century Gregorian calendar, used mainly by Western churches.  The other is the much older Julian calendar, used by most Orthodox churches.  At present the Julian calendar differs from the Gregorian by 13 days; in the year 2100 it will be 14 days.  

Especially in regions where Christians of the Western and Eastern traditions live closely together and may even constitute a minority, as for example in the Middle East, this situation is extremely painful.  

One milestone in the efforts to establish a common date for Easter was the consultation held in Aleppo, Syria, in March 1997,  jointly sponsored by the WCC and the Middle East Council of Churches. Of great importance was the recognition that differences in calculating the date of Easter do not depend on basic theological disagreements.

The consultation recommended that the principle of calculation recognized by both Eastern and Western churches and established by the Council of Nicea in the year 325 should be retained. According to this principle, Easter falls on the Sunday which follows the first full moon of spring. The Aleppo participants also recommended that the spring equinox be calculated "by the most accurate possible scientific means". Moreover, the basis for reckoning should be "the meridian of Jerusalem, the place of Christ's death and resurrection".  This means a change for both East and West, as both calendars are astronomically inaccurate.  For the churches using the Gregorian calendar a discrepancy would first occur in the year 2019:  calculated by scientific methods, Easter in that year will fall on 24 March, but the Gregorian calendar will place it on 21 April, and the Julian on 28 April. 

The Aleppo consultation saw the fact that the two dates for Easter would coincide at the start of the new millennium as an opportunity to continue and intensify efforts to establish a common date. "The celebration of Easter/Pascha on the same date should not be the exception but the rule".   Hence the idea of reviewing the response to the Aleppo proposal in the year 2001.  

How far have the churches gone in following the Aleppo proposals?  The WCC Public Information Team has asked knowledgeable representatives of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions to give a brief outline of their thinking on a common date for Easter.

The series begins with an article by the Rev. Dagmar Heller, Executive Secretary for Mission and Ecumenical Relations in North Baden, Evangelical Church in Baden, Germany. Until recently a WCC staff member with the "Faith and Order" team, she has been involved in organizing and accompanying the discussion process on a common date for Easter.  His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Egypt, contributes from the viewpoint of the Oriental Orthodox tradition.  Monsignor John A. Radano of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity writes about "Catholic hopes of a common date for Easter".  His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrosius of Oulu tells of the experiences of an Orthodox minority church in a Protestant country; in Finland "Orthodox and Lutherans have been experiencing the power of the Resurrection at the common date of Easter ever since the early 1920s".      

Celebrating Easter together 
Rev. Dr Dagmar Heller, Evangelical Church in Germany

Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox in March. This is an ancient rule from the fourth century, which is followed by all the churches around the globe.  What is not well-known, especially in regions with a Protestant or Catholic majority, is that within Christianity, Easter is celebrated twice, depending on whether the (older) Julian calendar or the Gregorian calendar is used in order to identify the date of the equinox and full moon following it.

The fact that the two dates coincide in 2001, at the beginning of the new millenium, has raised the hope that this could be the start of a common celebration of the central event of our Christian faith every year. But at the same time it is already clear from the recent discussions taking place in the ecumenical movement, that a decision among the churches concerning a common date for Easter will not happen in the near future, although there is already a certain history on this topic and a proposed solution is on the table. 

The proposal has the advantage that it asks for change on both sides and does not impose one side's solution on the other. It suggests that the churches use neither the Julian nor the Gregorian calendar for reckoning the date of the spring equinox and of the full moon, but take the exact astronomical data that can be provided nowadays in contrast to the times when the Julian and the Gregorian calendars were invented. The problem with this proposal is that this still means a bigger change for those churches using the Julian calendar than for the others because the Gregorian calendar is already much closer to the astronomically exact constellation. 
A change poses practical problems. But what is more important is that, for some Orthodox, the calendar is so closely related to the tradition that changes are unthinkable. Also in the background is the deep trauma in the East, caused by some attitudes of the West throughout history, which has resulted in a deeply rooted anti-Western suspicion. Although the proposal was first made by a pan-Orthodox meeting, the fact that only few changes are implied for the Western churches gives the impression, at first sight, that it means taking on the Gregorian calendar. The Orthodox churches have made it very clear that they would need more time in order to prepare their people.        

Thus we can say: Although the question of the date of Easter is a purely practical one, it seems that the situation in some churches at present does not allow for a change without risking a schism. 

Therefore a lot of patience is necessary for people involved in this discussion. It seems to me though that the coming twenty years provide a special opportunity to further work on this question, since during that period the coincidence of the two dates will happen several times (in 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017). Couldn't this be taken as a sign for the churches to take this as a "kairos" for a move towards a common date? If it is not possible to put the proposal described above into practice, could we find ways for regional solutions? Or could the Western churches for the sake of unity take over the Julian date for Easter, as a group in Austria suggested? 

But many churches, especially from the Western tradition but also one of the Oriental Orthodox churches have expressed their willingness to follow the above-mentioned proposal if all the other churches could agree on it. In this sense the Western churches took a step towards the Orthodox side by agreeing to keep the ancient rule, while in earlier discussions they had tended to propose a third way (which would mean in fact a third date!) by suggesting to fix the date of Easter on a specific Sunday in April. 

This shows that attitudes can change, and churches can take steps towards one another. The discussion on the date of Easter, and hope for a solution, therefore need to continue.  

The fact that Easter is celebrated on the same date this year has raised some interest in the Western churches, at least as far as I can see in my own context in Germany. The National Council of Churches in Germany (ACK) has provided a proposal for an ecumenical vespers worship service for Easter. And many churches are encouraging their congregations to mark this event in one way or the other. This is a hopeful sign which shows that people have understood how important it is that Christians celebrate their central feast together in order to give a credible witness to the world, especially in times where Christians more and more live in a minority situation or in secularised contexts.(

Praying and working toward the common date of Easter: bringing us closer to the imperative of Christian unity

H. E. Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette, Coptic Orthodox Church

At the dawn of the third millennium of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, in this year 2001 A.D., all Christian traditions - Oriental and Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant - will celebrate Easter at the same time.

Since Jesus Christ is the way, truth and life, He is the core of the unity of the Church.

It came to happen in the fourth century A.D. that the Churches were praying and working toward a common date of Easter. At the same time divisions occurred because of different views towards the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and His consubstantiality with the Father. At this very crucial stage the Nicene Creed was established at the first ecumenical council confessing that Jesus Christ is homo-ousion with the Father, i.e., of the same essence with the Father, consubstantial and co-eternal with Him. And it was at this Council of Nicea that both a common Christian creed and a common date of Easter were determined. The Church of Alexandria was mandated to determine the common date of Easter every year on agreed bases and to inform all the Churches worldwide.

Historically as well as theologically we can state that the person of the incarnate Word of God is the cause of the unity of the Church. The risen Lord is always a source of inspiration and renewal in our lives.

When our Saviour approached his passions, He said to His disciples: "The hour is coming, indeed it has come when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me" (John 16:32). "So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." (John 16:22).

The scattered disciples were united again around the risen Lord on the day of Easter, when he appeared to them as is written, "When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you. After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord" (John 20:19-20). 

It is clear that the resurrection of the Lord wrought a radical change in the life of His disciples. The risen Lord is the source of power, joy, peace and unity of the Church. All we need is to be united with Him in the holy life of victory against sin.

All we need is to forget ourselves and see the risen Lord, who shines with His divine glory and enlightens our thoughts and our hearts.

All we need is to accept His divine love in order to love one another, and be united in Him.

It is the life of sanctification that will bring all of us together, so that we may rejoice and confess together the one holy and apostolic faith.

Celebrating together Redemption in Christ: Catholic hopes for a common date of Easter
Monsignor John A. Radano, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

In 2001 unlike most years, Christians of East and West celebrate Easter on the same date. Sadly, this is an exception, reminding us that Christians are divided on many issues, even on the date for celebrating this central Christian mystery.

Christians have struggled from early times with the question of establishing a common date for celebrating Easter. The issue was addressed again in the twentieth century, and especially during the last three decades. Christian hopes for a common date are motivated primarily by theological concerns. A common date, said a World Council of Churches (WCC) consultation in 1970, "would ... remove an obstacle which obscures the unity of Christians and it would provide a new framework for common witness to the Risen Lord" (The Ecumenical Review, April, 1971, 177). 

Particularly since the Second Vatican Council the Catholic Church has expressed deep interest in establishing a common date for Easter. The Council encouraged seeking a fixed date if there was ecumenical agreement to do so (cf. Appendix to Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 1963). Until that could be achieved, the Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches, as an interim approach, authorized Patriarchs or authorities of a given place to seek unanimous agreement, after ascertaining the views of all concerned, on a single Sunday for observing Easter.

After Vatican II, this hope was raised in correspondence between Pope Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and in the Joint Working Group between the Catholic Church and the WCC. The Pope's letter to the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I (March 26, 1975) indicates the evangelical purpose of seeking a common date:

The world in which we live has perhaps a greater need than ever that we should testify ... to our faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Moreover, his Resurrection is the foundation of our faith - this faith that is called in question by many. Did not St Paul write that if Christ be not risen our faith is vain (1 Cor 15:14)? Moved by this conviction, and trusting in the power of the Risen Christ and his Spirit, we express our hope that by celebrating the mystery of mysteries with a single heart and voice, we may be able to render glory to God, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who raised Him from the dead (Rom 16:6; Col 2:12).

A specific proposal was made in an ecumenically sensitive way in 1975 by the Catholic Church in coordination with the WCC. On behalf of the Pope Paul VI, Cardinal Willebrands, president of the Secretariat (since 1988 Pontifical Council) for Promoting Christian Unity, proposed in a letter to Patriarch Dimitrios I (18 May 1975) and other Orthodox leaders, with letters of similar contents sent to WCC general secretary Dr Philip Potter and to leaders of world confessional bodies, that from 1977 (a year in which all Christians would celebrate Easter on the same day) onwards, "Easter should always be celebrated on the Sunday following the second Saturday of April". As part of its preparation for its 1975 assembly in Nairobi, the WCC was also surveying its member churches on the same question. As a result of its survey the WCC concluded that "at this stage, a specific proposal would not lead to a date uniting all Christians in the celebration of Easter on the same day". It therefore !
became clear that it was not possible to go further on the proposal at this point. Since the Catholic Church did not want to take a decision that would create another obstacle to unity, its plan was not put into effect.

Another proposal for seeking a common date for celebrating Easter has emerged as a result of a consultation co-sponsored by the World Council for Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches in Aleppo, Syria in 1997. The Aleppo plan proposes a common, though movable, date for Easter, different from the fixed date suggested in 1975. Edward Cardinal Cassidy, then president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, expressed in 1997 his support for studying this proposal, and gave an initial affirmative reaction to it.

Like Paul VI, Pope John Paul II expressed support for a common date of Easter. John Paul II's witness to the Gospel highlights Redemption in Christ, as reflected in some of his encyclical titles: Redemptoris hominis (1979), Redemptoris Mater (1987), and Redemptoris Missio (1990). For him celebrating the Redemption has implications for ecumenism, because "we go beyond historical misunderstandings and contingent controversies, in order to meet each other on the common ground of our being Christian, that is Redeemed. The Redemption unites all of us in the one love of Christ, crucified and risen." (December 23, 1982)

The Pope has tried to foster common witness to the redemptive mysteries of Christ, crucified and risen. Thus, since 1994, John Paul has invited Orthodox or Protestant leaders on several occasions, to write the meditations for the Way of the Cross which he leads on Good Friday each year at the Roman Colosseum. Recently, noting that in 2001 all Christians celebrate Christ's resurrection on the same date, he expressed the hope that "this should encourage us to reach agreement on a common date for this feast." (Homily, January 25, 2001)

Celebrating Easter on the same date in 2001, is a grace. It is the hope of the Catholic Church that Christians find a way to do this annually. May we, his disciples, use this opportunity of contemplating the Resurrection of the Redeemer together this year to beg his forgiveness and mercy for our separation, and to entreat his help in taking steps towards the unity for which he prayed (Cf. Jn 17:21).

The gift of a common calendar - vital to mission and witness in secular society
Metropolitan Ambrosius of Oulu, Orthodox Church of Finland

It is God's great gift for us all in different Christian traditions to be allowed to celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord together at the beginning of the third Christian Millennium. 

In my own country the Orthodox and Lutherans have experienced the power of the Resurrection on a common date of Easter since the early 1920s. At that time the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople granted the Orthodox Church of Finland temporary permission to follow the Gregorian calendar. 

This has been a great blessing for our small minority church in a Protestant country. We have been able to bear common witness to the Mystery of the Resurrection. It makes us stronger. We share the profound richness of both Eastern and Western theological and spiritual insights concerning Easter in our national religious heritage. 

The Eastern Orthodox liturgical celebration of Easter Matins and Liturgy, starting at midnight, is broadcast on the National Radio and Television. In fact it is the most popular religious programme in Finland during the whole year. 

It is also very much visible in other mass media. National newspapers publish cover stories about and interviews of the Orthodox, who are active in national culture, and how they personally celebrate Easter and what it means to them. Even traditional Orthodox recipes for preparing  special Easter food are published extensively. 

These are minor examples of the ways in which the Eastern Orthodox minority, one percent of the population, has been able to bring its positive contribution to the Finnish national religious culture. 

Perhaps more deeply than ever we, Orthodox and Protestant together, have learned to understand how through two feasts, Good Friday and Easter, the power of the saving and life-giving cross and the glorious resurrection of Christ can't be separated. An Orthodox hymn, already at the vespers of Good Friday - the time of suffering and death, appropriately radiates the light of resurrection: "We magnify your sufferings o Christ...show us also your glorious resurrection." 

In my country we are glad to know that within the ecumenical movement extensive pursuits are being made and prayers offered towards a common calendar. We are also aware of inter-Orthodox tensions concerning this issue. 

Through our experience in Finland we see the gift of a common calendar as vital to our mission and witness in a secular society. Particularly as a minority culture the Orthodox can't afford to become a religious ghetto. We have to play our role, to live out our vocation in the centre of our national common life. 

A common calendar for all Christians is crucial to our everyday life throughout the church year. All children, regardless of their faith or denomination, go to the same schools. Major Christian feasts are holidays for all Finns. The special value of our "Finnish calendar" is experienced particularly in family life, because most Orthodox live in mixed marriages. 

It is a gift of the Spirit that the most traditional Eastern Orthodox Hymn of Resurrection will be sung together with our Lutheran sisters and brothers, since it has recently been added to the Finnish Lutheran hymnal: Christ has risen from the dead, by death he has trampled on death and to those in the graves given life. 

For further information please consult:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/easter.html 

or contact Karin Achtelstetter, Media Relations Officer
Tel:  (+41.22) 791.61.53   	Mobile:  (+41) 79.284.52.12

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The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

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