How Do You Spell QUARTODECIMAN?

1. Quartodeciman is an adjective or noun used to describe the practices or beliefs related to the ancient Christian observance of Easter on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, regardless of the day of the week. The term originated from Latin, with "quarto" meaning "fourteen" and "decem" meaning "ten," alluding to the fourteenth day on the Hebrew calendar.

   Historically, the majority of Christians celebrated Easter on the first Sunday after the Jewish Passover. However, quartodecimans adhered to an alternative tradition, which was prevalent in certain regions during the early centuries of Christianity. They believed that Easter should always be celebrated on the same day as the Jewish Passover. This practice harkens back to the Last Supper when Jesus observed the Passover meal with his disciples before his crucifixion.

   The quartodeciman controversy eventually led to a significant debate within the early Christian Church, as those who followed the quartodeciman practice were seen as diverging from the mainstream tradition. The issue was discussed at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, where it was finally ruled that Easter must be observed on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the Spring equinox. This decision was aimed at unifying the Christian community worldwide.

   Today, quartodeciman is mostly used as a historical term to refer to the practices of those early Christians who celebrated Easter on the 14th day of Nisan, allowing for a deeper understanding of the diverse traditions and beliefs within early Christianity.

Common Misspellings for QUARTODECIMAN

The word "quartodeciman" originates from Latin. It is a compound word consisting of two parts: "quarto" meaning "fourth" and "deciman" meaning "ten". In Latin, "quartodecimanus" referred to someone or something related to the "fourteenth day".

The term gained prominence in the context of early Christianity to describe a particular practice related to the celebration of Easter. Quartodecimans were Christians who observed Easter on the fourteenth day of the Jewish month of Nisan, corresponding to the Jewish Passover, regardless of the day of the week. This practice differed from the majority of Christians who celebrated Easter on a Sunday, the day of Christ's resurrection.

Though "quartodeciman" originally referred to the date of Easter, it gradually became associated with those who followed this observance, hence developing its present meaning.