when is easter 2026 — Lent, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Dates

Easter 2026 falls early in April, setting the rhythm for the Christian liturgical calendar and prompting churches and communities to plan services and observances. Below are the key dates for Lent, Holy Week and the most observed days leading into Easter, presented in Eastern Time (ET).

Key 2026 dates (all times/dates ET)

- Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET). This day marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting and reflection before Easter. Many congregations hold services where ashes are placed on foreheads in the shape of a cross.

- Lent runs from Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18 through Thursday, April 2, 2026 (ET). The forty days recall the biblical account of Jesus fasting in the wilderness and often prompt personal sacrifices, added worship, and community outreach.

- Orthodox Great Lent: Monday, Feb. 23 through Saturday, April 11, 2026 (ET). The dates for Eastern Orthodox observance differ from Western Christian calendars and extend past Western Easter in 2026.

- Good Friday: Friday, April 3, 2026 (ET). The solemn observance commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus and is often marked by services, prayer, and reflection.

- Easter Sunday: Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET). Easter celebrates the resurrection and culminates Holy Week, which includes Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday leading up to Good Friday.

Why Ash Wednesday draws so many people

Ash Wednesday remains one of the most attended services of the year, often rivaling Easter and Christmas. For many, the act of receiving ashes is both a public identity marker and a personal invitation to consider mortality and moral renewal. The ashes themselves are rooted in long-standing ritual practice: they are traditionally made from the palms blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday and symbolize fragility, penitence and the need for grace.

The visible sign — a cross of ash on the forehead — serves multiple purposes. It is a communal shorthand of belonging for those who make the effort to attend, a prompt to reflect privately on life and choices, and an outward cue that the season ahead is one of inward preparation. While the ritual frequently draws large crowds, the outward symbol does not always translate into other traditional practices such as frequent confession; parish leaders note a gap between the visible sign of penitence and deeper sacramental practice for some worshippers.

What to expect this Lent and Holy Week

Churches and faith communities typically use the weeks of Lent to offer added opportunities for worship, study and service. Common observances include fasting or giving up particular habits, weekday services, Lenten study groups, and acts of charity. Holy Week intensifies the focus: Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, Maundy Thursday recalls the Last Supper, Good Friday centers on the crucifixion, and Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection.

For those planning worship or travel, mark the dates above on your calendar in ET. Because liturgical schedules and local traditions vary, many communities publish detailed Holy Week timetables as the season approaches. Whether attending in person or observing privately, the window from Feb. 18 through April 5 frames a season designed for reflection, repentance and renewal.

Filmogaz will continue to monitor developments and provide timely rundowns of key dates and observances as the 2026 season approaches.