Why Is Easter So Early This Year?

Easter Sunday is on March 31, 2024 instead of falling in April. 

So why is Easter so early this year? Well, it has to do with how Western Christians calculate their religious Gregorian Calendar.

Easter is on the Sunday following the first full moon of Spring which is called an “Easter Moon” and “The Paschal Moon.” 

In 2024, the full moon on March 25 is considered an Easter Moon because the Western Christian church has set the First Day of Spring on the fixed date of March 21 (while the Equinox and astronomical First Day of Spring can vary from March 19 through March 21).

The first Sunday after the full moon on March 25  is March 31, which is why Easter is so early in 2024.

The last time Easter Sunday occurred in March was in 2016 and the next time Easter Sunday occurs in March is in 2027.