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It is March 20, 2010---and the vernal equinox has just arrived on earth right before Easter. The equinox heralds the anticipated entrance of spring into the northern part of Earth, along with first day of the solar new year at 1:32 PM EDT on Saturday.

Occurring twice a year, there are two points of intersection by the Sun called the equinoctial points: (1) vernal and (2) autumnal. At this moment, the center of the Sun is observed vertically overhead on the Earth's Equator---March 20/21 (Vernal) and September 22/23 (Autumnal) annually.  So what does have to do with the relationship between Easter and the Vernal Equinox?

Determination of the Easter date

Every year, the Easter date is set during the vernal equinox, or the "spring" equinox. At this point, the length of day and night is considered the same all over Earth. Because of this the equinox not only determines when we are going to have Easter but many other moveable holidays and feasts that are not dependent on the Gregorian or Julian calendars---Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Ascension Day, Pentecost, or Holy Thursday---all centered around the resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God.

History has it that the death and resurrection of the Son of God occurred during the Jewish Passover, always celebrated on the first full moon after the vernal equinox occurs. In 2010, the Passover will start on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 and end on Monday, April 5, 2010 - lasting for seven days.

According to the Council of Nicaea, in 325CE it was decreed that Easter would be celebrated the first full moon "on or after the March equinox". If the full moon falls on Sunday, Easter is delayed one week or else it could fall on the same day as the Jewish Passover.

Importance of the Vernal Equinox

• It was during Egypt's Christian period from c.200-639 that the ancient Egyptian holiday, "Sham El Nessim", began to be celebrated on Easter Monday, previously coinciding with the vernal equinox.   
• Mother's Day is celebrated on the March vernal equinox in many Arab countries.
• Earth Day was originally celebrated on March 21, 1970 which was the Equinox Day.
• In Annapolis, Maryland (USA), the vernal equinox is celebrated with a "Burning of the Socks" festival. According to tradition, boatyard employees and sailboat owners would wear socks only during the winter. At the approach of warm weather, their socks were all burned in order to bring more customers back to the area. Socks are not worn until the next equinox.
• "World Storytelling Day" is celebrated on the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere festivals—a global celebration of the art of global storytelling.