The Coolidge examiner., 1934-03-30

ancient Israel as the Passover for many cen
turies before the birth of Jesus Christ. IL was
based upon the events which took place when
the Hebrews we're saved from the destruction
which was visited upon the Egyptians. as given
In Exodus IL ~. The frat Christians. being
In the main Jews. continued for long time
10 observe the Passover well as other ancient
ceremonies Bur gradually these early followers
of the cross began 20 substitute the Christ for
the paschal lamb Of Israel In the Passover eere-
monies
Eventually there arose a difference OF opinion
between the Christians OF Hebrew descent and
those of Gentle descent rs 10 the time when
these ceremonies should be celebrated. Those
OF Hebrew descent declared that the day OF the
death OF Jesus should be- the date of the ending
ot the paschal fast which In Hebrew rites al
ways was on the fourteenth day Of the moon In
the evening Therefore the Easter festival. which
followed. might fall on any day OF the week.
Those Of Gentle descent. however. wanted the
FIRST day of the week, Sunday. 20 be the first
day OF the resurrection festival Thus the Friday
preceding would be observed as the date OF the
cruchxion without paying any attention to the
day OF the month.
For 81 years the difficulty between the Christ
ians OF Jewish descent and those OF Gentle
descent continued Not being able 20 decide the
recurrence Of Faster the council OF the early
Christian church finally appealed 20 the astron-
omers In Alexandria Egypt, for aid. However,
the scientists were not ~ much assistance, for
they had no lunar tables such now have.
computed by master mathemateians They at
tempted 10 make rules, but the variations OF the
full moon in reference 10 the year would not
cause Easter TO fall Sunday any than
any other day. All wanted II TO come on Sunday.
so each nation celebrated TO suit Itself so that
Il would come on that day. Thus In A. D. 3ST
the Gauls celebrated Easter on March 81 In
Italy II fell on April Is and in Egypt II fell on
April ..
| Eventually the selection OF a certain Sunday
was definitely fixed In the Sixth century A D.
II was designated as the Sunday between the
fifteenth and twenty-irst days Of the moon in the
first month OF the Jewish lunar years. II was
directed that the computation should be made
according to the tables OF victorlus OF Acqul-
taIne. introduced In 457 A. d. Because OF the
/ fact that Britain had ceased 10 be part OF the
Roman empire, the Sixth century decree did not
affect the British church at first, and 1t con-
tnued to calculate Easter on a basis previously
approved at Rome. The matter was finally dis
posed OF at a synod held at Whitby in Yorkshire
In Ca A. D. after which the clergy Of the British
Isles conformed TO the general practice of the
western church.
/ Accordingly Easter is now observed by both
the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches on
\ the first Sunday after the full moon (or four
/ teenth day Of the noon on or next after March
n So IL cannot be earlier than March % nor
/ later than April % Thus 1t Is possible for the
| astronomers and mathematicians to tell In ad-
vance on what dates Easter viii come each year
/ and they are now known for more than century
/ In advance Thus, too. we know how often It is
4 that young America viii be confronted with the
4 problem that confronts them this year-that OF
celebrating on the same day two occasions which
are at the opposite poles In character even
! though they trace back to a similar origin
eey Western Newspaper Union