when is easter in 2026? Key dates for Lent, Holy Week and Easter
Easter in 2026 lands early in April: the holiday falls on Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET). That timing sets the schedule for Ash Wednesday, the 40 days of Lent, Holy Week observances and the Orthodox Great Lent. Here are the essential dates and what they mean for Christians and communities planning services and events.
Key dates for the 2026 Lenten season and Holy Week
- Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET). This day marks the start of Lent, a period of 40 days (not counting Sundays) devoted to fasting, prayer and reflection in many Christian traditions.
- Start and end of Lent: Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, and runs through Thursday, April 2, 2026 (ET) in Western Christian observance. These weeks lead into Holy Week and culminate with Easter Sunday.
- Good Friday: Friday, April 3, 2026 (ET). Observed on the Friday before Easter, this day commemorates the crucifixion.
- Holy Saturday: Saturday, April 4, 2026 (ET). Many congregations hold vigil services this evening in anticipation of Easter.
- Easter Sunday: Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET). The day celebrates the resurrection and concludes Holy Week.
- Orthodox Great Lent: Feb. 23 to April 11, 2026 (ET). Eastern Orthodox churches follow a different calendar for Easter and related observances, so their Lent and Easter dates often do not align with Western churches.
How Easter's date is determined
Easter is a movable feast rather than a fixed calendar date. The established rule sets Easter as the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox. For ecclesiastical purposes the vernal equinox is fixed at March 21, even though the astronomical equinox can vary by a day.
Because the calculation depends on the lunar cycle, Easter can fall as early as March 22 and as late as April 25. The differing calendars used by Western and Eastern churches—one based on the Gregorian calendar and the other on the Julian calendar—mean the two traditions often celebrate Easter on different Sundays.
What Ash Wednesday and Lent mean for communities
Ash Wednesday is widely observed with services in which ashes, traditionally made from the previous Palm Sunday's palms, are placed on worshippers' foreheads as a reminder of mortality and penitence. The day draws large attendance at many congregations, rivaling attendance at other major holy days.
During Lent, individuals and communities adopt practices of fasting, abstinence, additional worship and charitable acts as preparation for Easter. For many, the season is both a spiritual discipline and a public expression of faith: rituals such as receiving ashes or participating in Lenten programs provide visible markers of observance and invite reflection on themes of renewal and reconciliation.
For planners, faith leaders and families, knowing these dates early helps schedule services, retreats and community events. With Easter set for April 5, 2026 (ET), organizations can finalize programming for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday liturgies, Good Friday services and Easter celebrations in the weeks ahead.
