The One Date Petition is considered important by thousands of believers. Among them are the following clergy:

Archbishop Vincent“The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the foundation of our faith. Hence a truth that binds all Christians together and gives hope that in and through Jesus grace will triumph over sin. It is therefore, right and just that we have a common date for the celebration of Easter.”

Archbishop Vincent Concessao
India


“Please, add our names as sponsors to the appeal for a common Easter date by all Christian churches. We believe and support wholeheartedly one common date for Easter since the Risen Lord Jesus Christ is One and therefore His Church should be one and not fragmented. The Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church already uses the Gregorian Calendar except here in Jerusalem where the Greek Orthodox Church still adheres to the Julian Calendar and therefore the Armenian Church is obligated to follow it out of concern for the Status Quo of the Holy Places.”

Archbishop Aris Shirvanian

Most Rev. Felix Toppo, Bishop of Jamshedpur

Fr Peter CSWG“The Resurrection event is something unique to the Christian Faith. It confirms the Gospel that she proclaims, which is the promise of a New Creation from God for the whole human race. In order to make known this truth convincingly, all Christians need to celebrate this unique event, the resurrection, on the same day everywhere.”

Fr Peter CSWG Anglican monk
England


“I would like to endorse the quest to unify the dates for Easter in the Church. It is clear that Jesus Christ, the night before he died, prayed for unity within his newly founded Church. The Lord obviously knew what lay ahead for his Mystical Body. As members of the Mystical Body we have prided ourselves in our differences rather than sought out what unites us. Revelation 12 describes Satan as ‘diabalos’ which means separator or divider. To tear the Church into separate parts is to tear the Lord in parts, and without our Lord Jesus Christ we would lose our way to heaven. As Church, we have to embrace the true mystery of God in the intimate relationship of the God-head who as a holy unity is calling all creatures to share in his life. The world is so desperately in need of God. It is the responsibility of the Church to find her strength again; and this strength can only be realised in unity, guided by the Holy Spirit. It is in this resurgence of strength that the mission of Christ will be fulfilled in and through his Mystical Body. I long for the day when the glory of God may seen in the Church united in Jesus Christ her Lord.”

Fr Wayne P M Weldschidt OMI


Fr KURIAN MATTAM“The unification is important to me because
1 Easter is the most basic foundation of Christian faith
2 The unification will heal at least one wound in the body of Christ.
3 It will be a significant step towards unity among the churches.”

Yours in the Lord,

Fr Kurian Mattam


Josep Monels“Throughout the centuries the Christian Churches of diferent empires, nations, countries. Traditions, Confesions and Denominations has been celebrating the dates of Easter. (Pasover, death , burry and Resurrection of Christ ). Date that has been the most important event of the Christianism, because that we will recive for the God Grace, the Forgivenes of our sins and the Eternal Salvation. But not in the same dates, because different theological traditions, astronomical opinions, cultural influences, religios and eclesiological calendars. The celebrations of the Easter has not been in the same day..It is an escandal for Christians and non christians... In 2010 qnd 2011. the cellebration has been unified,..And in the GLOBAL era I believe that is essential por the unified testimony, that from now on all the Christians we need always celebrate the Easter in the same days. HE IS ALIVE AND WILL COME SOON.”

Josep Monells


Fr John Aberton “If unity is essential for the successful evangelisation of the world (John 19:21), and agreement on the date of Easter will bring East and West closer together, then the accuracy of the date takes second place to the benefits of such an agreement. Why should we hesitate?”

Fr John Aberton
England


Father George Coconas “Our beloved Jesus was once crucified on the Hill of Calvary and shed his blood for the sins of mankind. After three days, He rose from the dead bringing joy to mankind. However, Christians celebrate Easter on two separate dates, which is like cutting Jesus’ precious body in half. I strongly believe that this is unacceptable by Jesus, Himself. If all Christians celebrated Easter on the same date, this would unite people and evidently live their spiritual lives in peace and harmony”

Fr George Coconas


The Rev'd Canon Dr Gavin Ashenden“I support the unification of the dates of Easter as a way of healing the sins and divisions of our spiritual forbears, of being obedient to the Risen Christ who asks the deepest levels of unity of heart and mind from his Church, and of presenting a more coherent witness to the world.”


The Rev'd Canon Dr Gavin Ashenden
England


Fr Brian Cross“The theology of the Eastern and Western traditions are complimentary. In the apostolicum we have a declaration of pure intent. We will continue to keep to the vision of the apostles”

Fr Brian Cross


Sister Martha“I believe the unification of the dates of Easter are very important because: Unity is the testoment of love for the world and a precious gift for all Christians”

Sister Martha O' Daly

Fr John Twisleton“The celebration of Easter on different dates by different Churches implies complacency about Christian differences. Worse than that it signifies unreadiness in the Churches to accept one another as the Lord accepts them. 

Each Church exists only by the mercy of God whether its followers believe it or not. When a Church welcomes this move to unify the date of Easter it places itself at the foot of the same Cross of Jesus to seek divine mercy with all other denominations. For a Church to sign up for the unification of the date of Easter is to signify it lives in hope of the communion of saints where, in the glory of the resurrection, unity and truth will be inseparable.

The apathy and unbelief in the world are too powerful for any Church to contend with. The Churches need to come together so their uniting to celebrate Easter would be a powerful sign to not yet Christians.

Yours in Our Lord”


The Revd Dr John F Twisleton

Rector of St Giles, Horsted Keynes & Chichester diocesan advisor on Christian apologetics