Next Sunday is Palm Sunday in the Christian world. The coming week will be Holy Week. Thursday evening, Good Friday and Saturday until after the Great Vigil are known as the Easter Triduum (Three Days) on which the daily services recall the Passion (suffering) of Jesus, preparatory to Easter Day, March 23, 2008. The Easter season continues until Ascension Day, May 1.

Easter Day is always the Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox, March 20/21.

The date is based on the Hebrew lunar calendar. Consequently, it is a "moveable feast" in our sun-based Roman calendar.

The earliest possible date for Easter Day is March 22. This year's March 23 timing is the earliest that any of us will ever see it. Only those who are 95 or over have seen it this early. None of us has seen or ever will see it earlier.

The last time Easter was so early was in 1913. The next time will be March 23, 2228. That's 220 years down the road.

The last time Easter Day fell on its earliest possible date, March 22, was in 1818.

St. Patrick's Day falling this year in Holy Week creates a problem for some Irish.Roman Catholics. Their church suggests that this year's celebrations take place tomorrow, Toronto's Irish community has opted to stick to Monday the 17th.