A common Easter date for all Christian religions would solve many problems, however a shift in the date is not as easy as it seems. The cause of this is the ever-so-slightly shifting alignment of the sun and moon, and for this reason the differences in calendars explains why Easter is different for Christian groups during most years and also explains why the Jewish feast of Passover and Easter seldom coincide.

Fr Evmenios, Archdiocesan Vicar of the Northcote district, explains the date:

Why do we celebrate Easter on different dates to the Catholics? How often do we celebrate together?

Most Orthodox Christians follow a different calendar to the Western churches. The Western churches follow the Gregorian calendar whereas the Eastern Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar. Even though some Orthodox follow the Gregorian calendar for the rest of the year, the Julian calendar is used to determine the date of Pascha. There is no pattern as to how often we celebrate Pascha together, I remember a few years back it was two years in a row, the next year our Pascha coincides will be 2025.

READ MORE: One Christian faith, two Easters: the search for religious unity

In Greece, Catholics celebrate their Easter with Orthodox Christians for the sake of cohesion. Why cannot the opposite apply in Australia?

Although ideally it would be nice to celebrate all together there are some major practical and theological issues that make this difficult to change. Nonetheless Australia is a very diverse country with many cultures and Religions and has come to accept and appreciate all these cultural and religious differences. For eg. Chinese New Year which is celebrated at a different time of the year by the standard New Year and is something appreciate and embraced by all. In a similar way, it has become accepted and appreciated that the Orthodox have a different Easter and gives many people the opportunity to see how we also celebrate the Passion and Resurrection of Christ.

Why would it be wrong to change our calendar or celebrate on a different date?

During the first three centuries of Christianity there was much controversy regarding the date of Pascha. Many areas celebrated Pascha on different dates.

Hence why in the year 325 AD the 1st Ecumenical Synod was convened in Nicea, where the date of Pascha was established so there would be no confusion. One of the prerequisites of Pascha was that it would have to be after the Jewish Passover. One of the difficulties of changing Orthodox Pascha to coincide with the Western churches is that many times the West celebrate before the Jewish Passover going against Canon Law.

Another reason why it would be difficult is because our entire Liturgical calendar revolves around Pascha. Which would mean that not only do we have to change our Pascha but every Sunday of the year, the date of the Ascension, the date of Pentecost which would not align us with the rest of the Orthodox world.

READ MORE: Midnight Easter services to take place at 9pm in Greece this year

What would you say to an Orthodox Christian who succumbs to Catholic feasting and breaks Lent?

Orthodoxy is freedom of choice. It really depends on what the situation is. Reality is that a vast majority of Orthodox do not follow the fasts of the Church for whatever reasons. However this is the time of the year where we practice and apply self control as much as our strengths allow us, to fully participate and experience the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ with our entire being, spiritually, mentally and physically.