Orthodox and Catholic Easter coincide relatively rarely, approximately 30% of the time, or about once every three to four years. This happens because the two traditions use different calendars and methods to calculate Easter: Catholics follow the Gregorian calendar, while Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar or a variant of it. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox, but the equinox and full moon dates differ between the calendars, leading to different Easter dates most years
. For example, in 2025, both Orthodox and Catholic Christians will celebrate Easter on the same day, April 20. This rare coincidence occurs due to the alignment of the vernal equinox and full moon dates in both calendar systems, as well as the Orthodox requirement that Easter follows the Jewish Passover, which also aligns in 2025
. Historically, in the 21st century, Easter dates coincide about 31 times, but the frequency is expected to decrease in future centuries. After the year 2700, it is projected that Orthodox and Catholic Easter will never coincide again due to the growing divergence between the Julian and Gregorian calendar calculations
. Efforts have been made by religious leaders, including Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, to unify the date of Easter to strengthen Christian unity, but no stable agreement has been reached yet
. In summary:
- Orthodox and Catholic Easter coincide roughly 30% of the time (about once every 3-4 years).
- The difference arises from the use of Julian vs. Gregorian calendars and differing astronomical calculations.
- In 2025, Easter coincides on April 20, a rare and symbolic event.
- Coincidence of Easter dates will become even rarer in the future, ceasing entirely after 2700.
- Church leaders have expressed a desire for a unified Easter date but have not yet achieved it.
This explains why Orthodox and Catholic Easter dates often differ but occasionally align.
