When is Easter 2026? A guide to when is easter and the Lent timeline

Easter 2026 will be observed on Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET). That date concludes Holy Week and the 40-day Lenten season for many Christians, which this year begins significantly earlier than in 2025. Below is a clear timeline of the major days to mark on your calendar and what they signify.

Key dates for Lent and Easter 2026

Here are the principal dates for the Western Christian calendar this season, listed in Eastern Time (ET):

• Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET) — the traditional start of Lent.
• Lent: Begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, and runs through Thursday, April 2, 2026 (ET).
• Good Friday: Friday, April 3, 2026 (ET) — the day observing the crucifixion of Jesus.
• Easter Sunday: Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET) — the celebration of the resurrection.
• Orthodox Great Lent: Feb. 23 to April 11, 2026 (ET) — a different calendar used by many Eastern Christian communities.

This Lenten season arrives more than two weeks earlier than it did in 2025, shifting the rhythm of observance for congregations, schools and communities that plan events around these dates.

What Ash Wednesday and Good Friday mean this season

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day period of fasting, prayer and reflection that leads to Easter. On this day, many worshippers receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross — a visible sign linking the community to themes of mortality, penitence and spiritual renewal. The ashes themselves are traditionally produced from the burned palms blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday, and the act of imposing ashes has deep historical roots dating back centuries.

Good Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter and centers on the commemoration of the crucifixion. For many Christians, it is a solemn day of prayer, reflection and often fasting. Together with Holy Thursday and Holy Week services, Good Friday leads congregations to the celebration of Easter Sunday.

Across denominations, Ash Wednesday remains one of the busiest liturgical days of the year. Worship attendance on that day often rivals or surpasses other high-attendance services, reflecting both a personal and public expression of faith. The ritual of ashes serves as an invitation to contemplate mortality and sin, while also pointing forward to the renewal celebrated at Easter.

What to expect this Lenten season and practical notes

Many Christians observe Lent by giving up certain foods or habits, increasing prayer, or participating in additional worship services. Parishes and congregations typically schedule special services and community activities through Holy Week, culminating in Easter services on April 5, 2026 (ET).

Because dates move from year to year, institutions that coordinate schedules around the church calendar — schools with religious affiliations, retailers planning seasonal items, and community organizations — will need to adjust earlier than they did in 2025. Those observing the Orthodox Great Lent should note its different window: Feb. 23 to April 11, 2026 (ET), which shifts some Eastern Christian commemorations out of step with the Western calendar.

For those planning travel, worship, or family gatherings, it helps to note the exact days: Ash Wednesday on Feb. 18, Good Friday on April 3, and Easter Sunday on April 5, 2026 (all ET). These are the anchor points around which most Lenten and Holy Week activity will be organized.

As always, communities and individuals approach this season with a mixture of solemn reflection and anticipation of renewal, with Ash Wednesday offering a public commencement and Easter providing the celebratory culmination.