Easter is perhaps one of the most important celebrations that take place around the world. It may be that today, many interpret it as a celebration to take advantage of to take vacations, but it really has a deeper meaning that deserves to be known. However, those of you who wish to know when is Easter 2022in order to organize your next long weekend vacation or to live it fully, in Sobrehistoria we give you all the dates, and we explain why their dates vary from year to year.
Dates of the celebration of Holy Week 2022
Holy Week, according to the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, begins with Palm Sundaywhich is the date that Jesus entered Jerusalem and was greeted with palm leaves, and ends with Holy Saturday. Easter begins after the celebration of Holy Saturday. Thus:
- The Palm Sunday It is celebrated on April 10, 2022
- The Holy Monday It is celebrated on April 11, 2022
- The Holy Tuesday It is celebrated on April 12, 2022
- The Holy Wednesday It is celebrated on April 13, 2022
- The Holy Thursday It is celebrated on April 14, 2022
- The Holy Friday It is celebrated on April 15, 2022
- The Holy Saturday It is celebrated on April 16, 2022
- The Easter Sunday It is celebrated on April 17, 2022
- The Easter monday It is celebrated on April 18, 2022
Why does Holy Week change its date every year?
Unlike the celebration of Christmas (December 25), or the nativities of the Virgin Mary (September 8) or John the Baptist (June 24) and other important festivals that have to do with religion, Holy Week changes the date of its celebration from year to year due to the relationship that exists with the first moon of the spring equinox.
In this way you have to know that Holy Week is celebrated on Sunday following the first full moon of the vernal equinoxwhich usually falls between March 20 and April 25.
In the council of nicaea (year 325) it was promulgated that the Christian Easter (the Resurrection of Christ) would be celebrated “on the first Sunday after the first full moon during or after the vernal equinox”. Therefore, astronomically, Easter can never fall before March 22 or after April 25. Being Easter a celebration of great importance for Christians because it is the festival for the Resurrection of Jesus, this led them to believe that it could not be carried out without some spiritual preparation. With this it was thought that all Christians should condition their souls for a few days of fasting, penance and prayer. This would be what would later be called Lent and ended up establishing the way in which we currently celebrate Holy Week.
What does Holy Week mean?
Holy Week around the world: curiosities
Although we already know something about Holy Week, the truth is that it never hurts to review how this holiday is lived in different corners of the world. In Spain, most of the country interrupts its activities to make way for the big week of the year, where believers enjoy the processions and others do a getaway looking for relaxation.
In countries like Switzerland, Germany and the Nordic countries they also live with enthusiasm the party, in which the main protagonists are the children, because for them the easter egg and bunny tradition. On Easter Sunday it is time to go in search of the hidden eggs and, whoever finds them, also receives a little gift. In addition, in these countries, they have another tradition to celebrate Holy Week, which consists of a parade of Easter horsemen, or knights who go out on horseback on Easter Sunday to celebrate that Christ is alive.
On the other hand, in Germany, they light bonfires to attract good luck. Y in ItalyApart from processions and sweets, Italians receive the blessing of the Pope, the Urbi et Urbi. Australia, for its part, does not live a great religious devotion, but it does take the opportunity to enjoy chocolates and sweets that bakeries and shops make especially for these days.
In South America they also recreate the passion of Christ, but they do not do it with false figures, but rather people who play the role of the redeemer. Although for recreation, the one they do In Philippineswhere people undergo a crucifixion and whipping to live firsthand what Jesus Christ experienced.
As you can imagine, where Holy Week is celebrated with the greatest sentiment (without wishing to belittle the rest of the countries, it is in jerusalem. A tour of the holy citycelebrating masses and stepping on the places where the true passion and death of Christ took place.
As we have seen, Holy Week is not something exclusive to the Spanish, although it is true that the Spanish holiday is the one that attracts the most tourism and where most tourists marvel at the processional show. Perhaps because there is a great religious feeling and a lot of passion, but it is done by combining art and in a lighter way than in other countries.
Now that you know when Holy Week is celebrated, you can organize your days and make plans to live the festival as you like. Traditions certainly do not lack to choose the one that best suits our beliefs and our tastes. At least some very interesting cultural visits can be made.
It may interest you: