Dionysius Exiguus's Easter table was constructed in the year 525 by
Dionysius Exiguus
Dionysius Exiguus (Latin for "Dionysius the Humble"; Greek: Διονύσιος; – ) was a 6th-century Eastern Roman monk born in Scythia Minor. He was a member of a community of Scythian monks concentrated in Tomis (present-day Constanț ...
for the years 532–626. He obtained it from an Easter table attributed to Patriarch
Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria (; or ⲡⲓ̀ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲕⲓⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ; 376–444) was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within the Roman Empire ...
for the years 437–531. The latter was constructed around the year 440 by means of extrapolation from an Alexandrian Easter table constructed around the year 390 by Patriarch
Theophilus of Alexandria. The great historical importance of Dionysius' Easter table is twofold:
# From this Easter table
Bede's Easter cycle would ultimately be developed by means of which all future
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar is a solar calendar of 365 days in every year with an additional leap day every fourth year (without exception). The Julian calendar is still used as a religious calendar in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts ...
dates of
Easter Sunday
Easter, also called Pascha (Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek language, Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, de ...
were determined (as in column G of Dionysius' table);
# With his Easter table Dionysius introduced in passing the
Christian era
The terms (AD) and before Christ (BC) are used when designating years in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. The term is Medieval Latin and means "in the year of the Lord" but is often presented using "our Lord" instead of "the Lord", tak ...
(see column A of Dionysius' table) which would be developed into a full system for dating historical events by
Bede
Bede (; ; 672/326 May 735), also known as Saint Bede, Bede of Jarrow, the Venerable Bede, and Bede the Venerable (), was an English monk, author and scholar. He was one of the most known writers during the Early Middle Ages, and his most f ...
two centuries later.
See also
*
Date of Easter
References
* Georges Declercq: ''Anno Domini: The Origins of the Christian Era'' (Turnhout, 2000);
External links
Nineteen year cycle of Dionysius (original version)
525
6th-century works
Chronology
Date of Easter
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