Why Easter varies from year to year

The Spring Equinox ushers in a time of rejoicing and celebrating the awakening of the Earth from the long winter sleep, it is a time when the warm Sun and green grass are beginning to push aside the snow and ice and the dreary (gloomy)cold of winter.

Before the Christians began celebrating the Resurrection or Christ's rising from the dead, at this time of the year, people in those northern countries in Europe were greeting spring with celebrations.Easter the English word for the Christian celebration comes from Eastre, the name of an Anglo-Saxon goddess of light. Anglo-Saxon tribes who lived in ancient Briton held a festival in her honour in early April.

The Christian celebration Easter, is connected with the equinox. Easter Sunday as you all know is not on a fixed date like Christmas. The day varies from year to year. Why?

In the beginning, the followers of Christ didn't know the exact day of the Resurrection. It was after the Council of Elders of the Church, held in 325AD in Nicene in Anatolia in eastern Turkey, that a date was fixed for Easter. It was to be on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the equinox on March 21. So, the earliest possible date of Easter is March 22, (the full moon coinciding with March 21 and March 21 being a Saturday). The latest is April 25.

This year the first full moon after the equinox was on April 9 Thursday. Therefore, Easter is on Sunday April 12 and Good Friday was on April 10. Last year March 21 (equinox) Friday was full moon day. So, Easter was on Sunday March 23. Good Friday and full moon day coincided. The previous year (2007) the first full moon day after the equinox was Monday April 2 and Easter was on April 8. Good Friday was on April 6.

If you have old diaries look them up. You will see how Easter varies with the first full moon after the equinox. In 2003 Easter was late, it was after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Easter Sunday was on April 20, because the full moon after the equinox was on Wednesday April 16, followed by Good Friday on April 18.

Sumana Saparamadu

How the beggar took Gamarala's family for a ride

Short Story:

Once upon time, there lived a Gamarala and his wife who had a daughter by the name of Kaluhamy. They loved her dearly, for she was the only child they had. But unfortunately, she died at an early age and this saddened the parents very much.Not long after this sad event, there came a very lean beggar to the house when the Gamarala was out in the field. Seeing the miserable state of the beggar, the sorrowing mother of Kaluhamy took pity on him and inquired as to how he had got so lean. The beggar replied "Elova gihin melova ava" (I have just returned from the other world.)

He meant, of course, that he had been very, very ill recently and just escaped death. But the foolish woman thought that he had really gone to the other world, and asked him if he had not seen her daughter, Kaluhamy, there.Seeing that the woman was a very foolish person, the begger gave a cunning answer. He said, "Of course, I knew Kaluhamy there. In fact, it was I who married her". The old woman believed his story and showed her supposed to be son-in-law great affection. She gave him good things to eat, and later, all the jewels and silks she had, to be taken to her daughter as her dowry. The beggar went away with them without losing much time.A short while later, the Gamarala returned home and when he heard what had happened he flew into a rage. He found fault with his wife for having acted foolishly, and mounting his horse, he chased after the begger. In a short time he saw the begger and was about to overtake him. Thereupon the beggar climbed a tree, but the Gamarala followed him there too. The beggar, climbed down the tree with the help of a branch, and untying Gamarala's horse that was tied to the tree, rode off on it as fast as he could.The Gamarala was still on the tree and found that nothing could be done. Therefore he shouted after the fleeing beggar, "Son-in-law! Son-in-law! Tell my daughter Kaluhamy, that the jewels are from the mother, but the horse is from the father."

Asha Senevirathne

Controlling your temper

Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, tried hard to control himself and was resolved never to make a show of his temper. He believed that an angry man was more of a beast than a human being.

He had a wife who lost her temper at the slightest excuse and tried her utmost to irritate the cool and calm philosopher. One day, the woman became more furious than ever, and began to insult Socrates.

Determined not to be put out, Socrates thought it best to leave her alone and went out and sat on the doorstep of his house, looking out on the public street.

Realising that Socrates, was not paying the least heed to her scolding, his wife went up to him and emptied a basinful of water over him. The passers-by in the street were much amused by the incident, and Socrates joined them in their laughter and quietly remarked, "I was expecting this; after thunder comes rain".

- A.S.