In one form or another, the Alexandrian Easter reckoning, endorsed by Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria in AD 418, was to play a dominant role. By the tenth century, after many twists and turns, the Alexandrian Easter table had been adopted throughout the western world. Around AD 457, the Roman church changed from their 84-year table, the Romana Supputatio, to the 532-year Easter table devised by Victorius of Aquitaine. Thus, far from being behind Rome, Patrick’s disciples in Ireland were far ahead, using a table that determined the Easter date in agreement with the Alexandrian table later adopted by the universal church. This conclusion is consistent with the assertion of the Venerable Bede, that the monks of southern Ireland had “long before learned to observe Easter according to canonical custom”.

Source: The Irish Times March 19, 2026 15:08 UTC