Before its religious significance, Easter, like many of our holidays derived from paganism. According to St. Bede, an English historian of the early 8th century, Easter owes its origin to Teutonic mythology. The spring celebration was held in honor of Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility, to whom the month of April was dedicated. The actual festival was held on the vernal equinox (the first day of spring). The celebration was renamed Easter with the introduction of Christianity by the Saxons.
At one time, Passover and Easter occurred on the same day. However, at the Nicene Council in 325 A.D., churchmen fixed the date of Easter on the first Sunday following the Paschal full moon. This is the first full moon after the vernal equinox, March 21. This system is still followed today with Easter Sunday moving been March 22 and April 25th.
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