strange holiday timing

[cellio]

Most years, Pesach and Easter fall within a few days of each other. This makes sense, because the Christian event is understood to have fallen during Pesach. But because Christianity does not follow the Jewish calendar for setting the holiday, and both computations are lunar, when the holidays aren't a few days apart they're about a month apart, with Easter being first. Fine; everyone knows that, pretty much.

The holiday of Purim falls approximately a month before Pesach.

Easter is constrained to fall on a Sunday, but Pesach can fall on "any" day. Well, there are some calendar oddities that actually rule out a couple days (Wednesday and Friday, IIRC), but mostly Pesach is unconstrained.

This year Pesach happens to fall on a Sunday and Easter is early.

What does this all add up to? That the celebration of Purim, a day on which feasting and drinking are commanded, falls on good Friday, a fast day.

I have heard that there are Christian denominations that observe some Jewish practices, like the seventh-day aventists who celebrate the sabbath on Saturday. I wonder if any of them celebrate minor holidays like Purim. If so, I wonder how they will resolve the contradiction this year. For that matter, I wonder how interfaith families address this. (A similar problem arises in the winter, when a Jewish fast day can fall on Christmas.)

Comments

[anniemal.livejournal.com]

This conversation is interesting, makes my head hurt, and me relieved to be mostly an atheist. Whew! How do you all_do_it? I'm impressed.

[cellio]

How do you all_do_it? I'm impressed.

For some, it's just a matter of learning a set of rules, usually from childhood, and doing it. Your family's observance of Thanksgiving may well have as many precise details, so this isn't unique to a particular religion.

For others, learning all of these details and the turns of logic that lead to them is an enjoyable end in itself. This, too, has analogues in the secular world; think about all the things that some people will put immense amounts of effort into that don't matter to anyone else.

A twise on this second case: some say that this learning is service to God, and so an obligation even if you don't enjoy it. While I accept that, I also don't know any adult who does it but doesn't enjoy it. :-)

Rituals without religion

[anniemal.livejournal.com]

This may be like my observance of May 1st, where I don a long white robe and walk (preferably at dawn) across Chain Bridge (running Water) singing songs I learned were necessary long ago. May should involve at least a token effigy of Winter to be cast down. I don't like going out at dawn, and don't always perform the ritual alone, (now I take the dog) but it helps to stay up the night before with a team of Morris Dancers. Long ago, I once spent 4hrs ironing Maypole ribbons. It was beautiful.

If it serves the earth, I'll try. I do cook a turkey for Thanksgiving, and yes there must be mashed potatoes and peas with onions and cranberry sauce. The trad. cranberry sauce dish took a header last year, but some things aren't the important part.

I guess my service is to "What Is". I feel bound but forgiven.

Re: Rituals without religion

[anniemal.livejournal.com]

My ultimate question at any junction is "What is Right?"