When is Easter 2026? Key dates for the Lenten season (ET)

Easter 2026 will be observed on Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET). The moveable feast sets a rhythm for millions of Christians: it establishes the beginning and end of Lent, fixes Holy Week observances and shapes parish timetables for worship and community events. Below are the essential dates to mark on your calendar and a brief look at why Ash Wednesday remains a powerful public ritual.

Key dates for the 2026 Lenten calendar (ET)

Here are the major liturgical dates for the Western Christian calendar in 2026, listed in Eastern Time.

• Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET). This day begins the penitential season of Lent and is commonly marked by the distribution of ashes.
• Lent: begins Feb. 18 and runs through Thursday, April 2, 2026 (ET), encompassing the traditional 40 days of fasting and spiritual discipline (not counting Sundays).
• Good Friday: Friday, April 3, 2026 (ET). The day commemorating the Crucifixion and solemn liturgies held across many Christian communities.
• Easter Sunday (Western): Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET). The principal feast celebrating the Resurrection.
• Pascha (Eastern/Orthodox): Sunday, April 12, 2026 (ET). Many Eastern churches observe Pascha on a different date because of distinct calendrical calculations.

Why Ash Wednesday still draws big pews

Ash Wednesday remains one of the most visible touchpoints of Christian identity each year. Many parishes fill with people who do not attend weekly services but make an effort to receive ashes on this day. For some, the act of receiving ashes serves as a clear, public marker of faith—an outward sign that signals belonging to a tradition.

Jesuit Father Bruce Morrill, a theology professor and chair of Roman Catholic Studies, notes that the ritual resonates across generations. "For many people, it is a very clear identity marker that they’re Roman Catholic, " he has said. The gesture’s symbolism—ashes made from last year’s blessed palms and placed on the forehead in the sign of the cross—invites reflection on mortality, sin and the need for renewal.

Though the ashes often prompt an outward show of penitence, that visible sign does not always translate into increased use of the confessional. Still, the symbolism of ashes—fragility, mortality and the call to conversion—remains potent, offering a communal entry point into the discipline of Lent and preparation for Easter.

How the date of Easter is determined and why it moves

Easter is a moveable feast set by a lunar-solar formula. The Western church observes Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox. That calculation produces the range of possible dates each year and explains why Easter shifts across March and April.

The Eastern churches often use a different lunar or calendar method, so Pascha can fall on a different Sunday. That difference in calculation is why some years Western Easter and Eastern Pascha coincide, and other years they do not.

For congregations and families, understanding these calculations can be practical: they determine the timing of preparations such as Passion plays, spring services, school vacations and community meals. For many faithful, the date anchors a season of repentance and renewal that culminates in the joyous observance of the Resurrection.

Whether you attend services weekly or only for major feasts, mark your calendar: when is Easter 2026? April 5, 2026 (ET). Ash Wednesday and the weeks that follow provide a predictable arc toward that day—an opportunity for reflection, fasting and renewal ahead of Holy Week.