Q&A

Q: Why is Easter called Pascha in the Orthodox Church?

A: The Greek word “Pascha” is derived from the Hebrew word “Pesach” meaning “Passover.” Jesus, as the Lamb of God, replaces the Passover lamb. When we sing the Paschal hymns, we speak of a “New Pascha,” a new Passover, in which Jesus’ Resurrection enables us to pass over from death unto eternal life. The word Easter does not have any of this etymology. The meaning of the word Pascha is deep, which is why we use it.

Q: Why is Pascha in the Orthodox Church not always on the same day as Easter in the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches?

A: In Jesus’ time Passover was calculated as occurring on the first full moon after the vernal equinox (the 1st day of Spring). According to the 1st Ecumenical Council, Pascha (or Easter) is supposed to on the first Sunday after that full moon. At the time, the Julian calendar was in use. Over time improvements were made on the calculation of leap years causing the creation of the Gregorian calendar, which we use today. The shift in leap years means that the date of the equinox is several days earlier on the Gregorian calendar than on the Julian Calendar, and so even by using the same rule, sometimes the full moon (and the Sunday after it) can be different. The full story is a little more complicated, but basically we are using different approximations of the same rule.

Q: Why does Lent seem to be longer in the Orthodox Church?

A: Even when the dates of Easter on the Western calendar and Pascha on the Orthodox Calendar match, Lent begins more than a full week earlier, but technically it also ends earlier. Lent is supposed to be a 40 day period, but a week is 7 days long, and 6 weeks would be 42 days, not 40. On the Western calendar, Lent begins on a Wednesday, commonly known as “Ash Wednesday.” In the Orthodox Church, Lent is still 40 days, but Holy Week does not count as part of Lent, nor do Lazarus Saturday or Palm Sunday. So for us, the last day of lent is actually the day before Lazarus Saturday (a Friday), which makes it possible for Lent to start on a Monday and still be 40 days long.