When is Easter 2026: when is easter and the key Lenten dates

Christians and many communities are already planning for the season that culminates with Easter. Here’s a concise rundown of the 2026 Lent calendar and the most important observances to mark on your calendar in Eastern Time (ET).

Key dates for 2026 (all dates in ET)

For 2026 the principal dates fall as follows:

• Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 — the start of Lent.
• Lent: Feb. 18 through Thursday, April 2, 2026 — the 40-day season of reflection and preparation.
• Orthodox Great Lent: Feb. 23 through Saturday, April 11, 2026 — the Eastern Christian observance that follows its own calendar.
• Good Friday: Friday, April 3, 2026 — the solemn observance remembering the crucifixion.
• Easter Sunday: Sunday, April 5, 2026 — the celebration of the resurrection and the culmination of Holy Week.

What these days mean and common practices

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the roughly 40-day period many Christians set aside for prayer, fasting, penitence and spiritual reflection leading up to Easter. Many who attend services on Ash Wednesday receive ashes on the forehead in the shape of a cross — a visible sign meant to prompt reflection on mortality and the need for spiritual renewal. The ashes are traditionally made from the palms blessed the previous Palm Sunday and the ritual dates back centuries.

Lent itself is a season focused on repentance and renewal. Practices vary by denomination and by personal devotion: some observe fasting or give up particular foods or habits, others add extra worship or acts of charity. The final week of Lent, Holy Week, includes Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and concludes with Easter Sunday, the principal feast commemorating the resurrection.

Why the dates shift and what’s different in 2026

The dates of Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Easter move from year to year, so the Lenten season does not fall on the same days each calendar year. For 2026 the Lenten season arrives more than two weeks earlier than it did in 2025, placing Ash Wednesday in mid-February and Easter in early April. That shift changes timing for church calendars, school breaks in some areas, and seasonal observances tied to the liturgical year.

Additionally, some Christian traditions follow a different timetable for Lent and Easter observances. The Orthodox Great Lent and the Western Lenten season overlap but do not always start and end on the same days; in 2026 the Orthodox observance begins on Feb. 23 and extends to April 11.

If you observe these days, check local service times and community calendars as Holy Week approaches. Many parishes and congregations host special liturgies and events across the season, and attendance patterns show Ash Wednesday and Easter remain among the most attended services of the year.