Why Is Easter So Late in 2025?

Easter Sunday in 2025 falls on April 20, one of the later dates possible, rather than in early or mid-April like many recent years. So why is Easter so late this year? It all boils down to how Western Christians calculate the date using the Gregorian calendar.

Easter is set for the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring, known as the “Paschal Full Moon” or “Easter Moon.” The Western Christian church fixes the first day of spring, or the vernal equinox, at March 21 for this calculation, even though the astronomical equinox can vary (in 2025, it’s actually March 20). In 2025, the first full moon after March 21 occurs on April 13. Since this full moon falls on a Sunday, Easter is pushed to the following Sunday, April 20, making it notably late in the season.

This delay happens because the Paschal Full Moon’s timing, tied to a 19-year lunar cycle called the Metonic cycle, doesn’t always align neatly with early spring. In 2024, Easter was much earlier—March 31—because the full moon hit on March 25, with the next Sunday close behind. By contrast, 2025’s later full moon stretches Easter closer to its latest possible date, April 25.

How the Date Is Determined

The rule dates back to the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD: Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, the first full moon on or after March 21. In 2025, that full moon lands on April 13, and since it’s already a Sunday, Easter shifts to April 20. This lunar-solar mix, refined by the Gregorian calendar in 1582, ensures Easter stays between March 22 and April 25 in Western Christianity. Eastern Orthodox churches, using the Julian calendar, also celebrate Easter on April 20 in 2025—a rare alignment this year.

Is Easter Always This Late?

Not at all. The last time Easter Sunday was this late—April 20—was in 2014, and it won’t happen again until 2036. The latest possible date, April 25, last occurred in 1943 and won’t recur until 2038. In 2027, Easter will swing back to March 28, showing how much the date can jump year to year. The late timing in 2025 stands out especially after 2024’s early March 31 Easter.