Tanzania
WCC File Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC
World Council of Churches | April 16, 2025
Easter falls on April 20 and Good Friday on April 18 for all Christians across the globe. The calendars, the Julian for Eastern Orthodox churches and Gregorian for the Western churches, produce different dates for Easter, but the dates are the same this year.
The occurrence is due to the alignment of lunar cycles and the spring equinox, the methods used to determine the Easter dates.
However, as this occurs, theologians, scholars, and church leaders across the globe are continuing to discuss the possibility of a common date for crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ—the cornerstone of Christian faith.
Rev. Jackline Makena Mutuma, a theologian from the Methodist Church in Kenya, said the unified celebration resonates deeply, especially in Africa, where Christianity is diverse and vibrant.
“It offers an opportunity to transcend denominational boundaries, fostering a sense of oneness among believers. Echoing the words of several ecumenists, it's a gift encouraging churches to work together towards visible unity,” said Matuma, also an adjunct professor at St Paul’s University in Limuru, near Nairobi.
According to the theologian—also a vice moderator of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches—the alignment reflected the aspirations of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, which sought unification.
The 1700th anniversary of this council in 2025, she said, adds historical depth to the current efforts, reminding churches of their shared roots and the ongoing journey towards reconciliation.
The World Council of Churches has been facilitating webinars and discussions among various Christian traditions—Coptic, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran—to explore the implications of a shared Easter celebration, according to Mutuma. The dialogues aim at deepening mutual understanding and cooperation among churches.
“An initiative of Easter together promotes the idea that a common celebration is not merely about calendar alignment but about placing Christ at the center of the Christian faith, emphasizing unity in a fragmented world,” she said.
According to the Rev. Innocent Halerimana Maganya, a Congolese Roman Catholic priest lecturing at the Tangaza University in Nairobi, the matching Easter dates pointed the churches to the importance of Christian unity.
“It is one faith, one baptism, [and] one communion. There is only one church, the church of Christ. There is only one foundation, as we sing during the week of Christian unity,” he said.
The priest said the disunity among members of one body remained painful, and Christians welcomed any church efforts to unite, to celebrate, and to hold holy communion together.
“Then, in the diversity of rich traditions, unity does not mean uniformity,” he said. “The ideal is when we can partake together in the communion and at the same table, but that has been a big issue for Christian traditions since traditions parting ways.”
Full unity will only be visible when the churches can commune at the same table, said Maganya, as he warned that there were many theological and canonical issues on the matter.
Bishop Johnes Ole Meliyio, presiding bishop of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church, said the concept was more important than the calendar dates.
“The concept of persecution, death, and resurrection is more important to those who believe in it and trust that that is what happened for the salvation of humanity,” he said.
“We celebrate the event for our salvation. This is not an event for a week or a day. It is daily for all Christians. We remember that Jesus died for our salvation. We are not sure about the exact date, but we believe that he died.”
Related Resources
“Christians, rise up in joy!” WCC Easter message brings hope that enters a broken world
WCC publishes Faith and Order paper encouraging churches to work for common celebration of Easter
Full publication: Towards a Common Date for Easter
https://www.oikoumene.org/news/2025-common-easter-encourages-churches-to-work-more-for-unity-say-african-theologianså