I have to confess that the seasons of Lent and Easter came upon me abruptly this year, catching me out to an extent (I actually ‘double booked’ myself on Ash Wednesday!).
Have you ever wondered why Easter seems to wander all over the spring calendar? Unlike Christmas, which stays fixed on 25 December, Easter is governed by the heavens (well, certainly the planets).
Believe it or not, there are 35 possible dates for Easter Sunday. It’s what we call a ‘movable feast’ in the church, as it literally changes each year, according to the cycles of the moon. The earliest possible date for Easter Sunday is 22 March. This is exceptionally rare. If you feel like you’ve never seen a March 22 Easter, it’s because no one alive today has! The last time Easter fell on 22 March was in 1818. We won’t see another again until the year 2285 – so unless someone comes up with ‘the elixir of eternal life’ – if you’re reading this article, then I don’t think you’re going to see the next one!
You might, however, make the latest date that Easter Sunday can fall on, which is 25 April. I imagine that will be an incredible celebration here in Portugal (the 25 April is Freedom Day in Portugal, marking the Carnation Revolution of 1974). It’s also quite rare for it to happen on that date. The last time we had a 25 April Easter was in 1943. But we are actually approaching one in the near future, in2038.
Why the wide gap?
The gap happens because if the full moon falls on Saturday, 21 March (the Equinox), Easter is the very next day (22 March). However, if the full moon falls just before the Equinox, we have to wait an entire lunar month (29 days) for the next one, plus potentially another week to get to the following Sunday. This is what pushes the date all the way into late April.
Where does 2026 fit?
This year, with Easter on 5 April, we are sitting almost exactly in the middle of that 35-day window. Interestingly, in the Orthodox Church, the window is shifted even further because they still use the Julian calendar. Their Easter can fall as late as 8 May (in Gregorian dates).
The symbolism of the season
Beyond the mechanics of calendars and moon cycles, there is a reason we find this time of year so infectious. Whether you are browsing the chocolate aisles or watching the storks return to their nests, the symbols of Easter all point to one thing: resilience.
From the humble egg – a universal sign of ‘hidden’ potential – to the spring lilies pushing through the Portuguese soil, we are surrounded by reminders that life has a persistent way of starting over. In a world that can often feel a bit ‘wintery’ and heavy, April offers us a collective deep breath.
A message of hope
To me, the real ‘magic’ of April in the Algarve isn’t just in the perfect timing of a full moon or the rare alignment of dates. It is found in the way the light lingers just a little longer each evening on the beach, and the way the community seems to wake up along with the landscape.
Easter, at its heart, is a season of second chances. It’s a reminder that no matter how long the ‘dark’ periods of our lives might feel, renewal is always just around the corner. It invites us to look for the ‘new life’ in our own stories – perhaps a mended friendship, a fresh perspective, or simply the joy of a quiet morning walk along the cliffs.
So, as we enjoy this ‘middle-of-the-window’ Easter on 5 April, I hope you find plenty of reasons to feel encouraged. May your month be filled with the warmth of the sun, the company of good friends, and the quiet certainty that spring – in all its forms – has finally arrived!
Wishing you all a peaceful, bright and hopeful Easter.
Fr Rob Kean is Chaplain of St Vincent’s Chaplaincy Algarve, Area Dean of Portugal (+351 964 236 675)
Did you know?
Easter is tied to the moon because the Bible states Jesus’ resurrection occurred during the Jewish Passover, which is celebrated on the first full moon following the vernal equinox. To align with this, the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) decreed that Easter is held on the first Sunday after the first full moon (the Paschal Full Moon) on or after the March equinox, causing it to shift yearly.
Join Father Rob and his congregation for the Easter Sunday Service at 11.30 am followed by a children’s easter egg hunt in the garden next to the church. All are welcome.
