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| Archbishop Justin Welby hopes for fixed Easter date | Archbishop Justin Welby hopes for fixed Easter date |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Archbishop of Canterbury is working with other Christian churches to agree on a fixed date for Easter. | The Archbishop of Canterbury is working with other Christian churches to agree on a fixed date for Easter. |
| Justin Welby made the announcement after a meeting of primates from the Anglican Communion in Canterbury. | Justin Welby made the announcement after a meeting of primates from the Anglican Communion in Canterbury. |
| In the UK, an act of Parliament passed in 1928 allowed for Easter Sunday to be fixed on the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April. | In the UK, an act of Parliament passed in 1928 allowed for Easter Sunday to be fixed on the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April. |
| However, this has never been activated and Easter has remained variable, determined by the moon's cycle. | However, this has never been activated and Easter has remained variable, determined by the moon's cycle. |
| Easter is the most important Christian festival, as it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ following his death by crucifixion on Good Friday. | Easter is the most important Christian festival, as it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ following his death by crucifixion on Good Friday. |
| 'Before retirement' | 'Before retirement' |
| The archbishop said he was in talks with Pope Francis, Coptic leader Pope Tawadros, and the leader of the Orthodox church Patriarch Bartholomew. | The archbishop said he was in talks with Pope Francis, Coptic leader Pope Tawadros, and the leader of the Orthodox church Patriarch Bartholomew. |
| Mr Welby said he hoped the change would happen "in between five and 10 years time". | Mr Welby said he hoped the change would happen "in between five and 10 years time". |
| "I would love to see it before I retired", he said, although he warned the first attempt to make such a change was in the 10th Century, and there had been 15 attempts to agree a common date since then. | |
| Easter is on the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon following the spring equinox, meaning it can be celebrated on a Sunday between 22 March and 25 April. | Easter is on the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon following the spring equinox, meaning it can be celebrated on a Sunday between 22 March and 25 April. |
| But the Orthodox church follows the Julian calendar, hence has later Easter celebrations compared with those of Western Christianity. | But the Orthodox church follows the Julian calendar, hence has later Easter celebrations compared with those of Western Christianity. |
| In 1990, the Vatican approved a proposal for a fixed date, which was subject to agreement with other Christian churches and governments. It has not yet been reached. | In 1990, the Vatican approved a proposal for a fixed date, which was subject to agreement with other Christian churches and governments. It has not yet been reached. |