Who knows why?

[onlinebiker]

Why is Easter on a different day every year?

Answer

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Because it' s dependant on phases of the moon. It's always on the first Sunday after the first full moon, following spring equinox.

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[arewethereyet]

Why is Easter on a different day every year?

Answer

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Because it' s dependant on phases of the moon. It's always on the first Sunday after the first full moon, following spring equinox.

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Yeah, that doesn't have pagan origins at all.  

[brewer]

It's the only time of year rabbits shit colored eggs.

[no one]

You're saying that Easter hops around?

[arewethereyet]

You're saying that Easter hops around?

-groan- 

[Lemon Curry]

So you're saying that the Romans had to wait until the first Friday, that rabbits shat coloured eggs, before the first Sunday, after the first full moon, following spring equinox, to hang zombie boy jebus out to dry?

[brewer]

And 2000+ years later this is what we get.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Apart from being a fertility symbol, does anyone know how rabbits became associated with Christianity in general and Easter in particular?

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Classical thinkers thought rabbits and hares were hermaphroditic as well as parthenogenic.  The idea of rabbits giving virgin birth naturally appealed to Christian artists.

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Boru

[Homeless Nutter]

Apart from being a fertility symbol, does anyone know how rabbits became associated with Christianity in general and Easter in particular?

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Classical thinkers thought rabbits and hares were hermaphroditic as well as parthenogenic.  The idea of rabbits giving virgin birth naturally appealed to Christian artists.

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Boru

Then shouldn't rabbits be associated with the birth of Christ, more than with his death? How come there are virtually no rabbits in traditional Christmas iconography, whereas lambs are often depicted in relation to both occasions?

I'm pretty sure it's just a leftover of pagan fertility rituals, which Easter replaced and adopted. That's probably also why the date is determined by moon-cycles, rather than by solar calendar, like other christian celebrations. Hares are predominantly nocturnal, but in early spring they start chasing each other in broad daylight, which is why they're associated with the season in a lot of European traditions. 

There are many regional customs and symbols connected with Easter, that have nothing to do with Christ, or Christianity. And some are just more marketable, than others, I guess. In Eastern Europe, where I grew up, people spray each other with water on Easter Monday. In particular - young men are encouraged to soak girls they like. One could come up with all sorts of justifications, why water symbolism appeals to christians, but no - it's basically just an old-timey, semi-voluntary wet t-shirt contest, that horny Polish peasants weren't going to give up, resurrection, or no resurrection. Why isn't this custom wide-spread? Possibly because there's more money to be made selling cute chocolate animals, than buckets of water.

[Foxaèr]

And 2000+ years later this is what we get.

Yes, please.