The date of the alleged death and resurrection of Jesus is not based on historical data, any more than his birth date at the winter solstice.

The latter was agreed in 354 AD, and the date of Easter was settled in 525 AD.

It was to be the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox: about March 21.

If the first moon happens to be full on a Sunday, Easter day is held on the Sunday after. Thus it can never be earlier than March 22 or later than April 25.

It would make far more sense to have an early spring holiday at the same time each year.

Having a variable Easter is very inconvenient, and plays havoc with holiday planning and school terms.

The Local Government Association agrees, proposing a two week school holiday starting in the last week of March even if this is after Easter.

The nonsensical/mystical Easter formula arises because of the conflict between our solar calendar and the lunar calendar used by the peoples of ancient Near East.

Further, the full moon of the Easter formula does not relate to a real moon, but an imaginary ecclesiastical full moon.

This vestige of the Babylonian and Jewish calendar may be removed at any time by an Order in Council, as laid down by the Easter Act of 1928. This provides for Easter to be fixed on the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April.

The ultimate irony is that both the celebration of Easter (Vernal Equinox) and Christmas (Winter Solstice) long pre-dated Christianity, so it is entirely inappropriate for the church to be dictating the dates on which they are held; especially in a society that has largely abandoned religion.

Larry Wright

Swindon