Guide: when is easter in 2026 — key Lent and Holy Week dates

Mo. Basuony

Published: February 18, 2026 7:11 AM ET

Guide: when is easter in 2026 — key Lent and Holy Week dates

For anyone organizing services, travel or family gatherings, the 2026 liturgical calendar lands earlier than recent years. Below are the essential dates for Lent and Holy Week in 2026, listed in Eastern Time (ET), with a brief look at why the date changes and how observances may vary.

Essential 2026 dates (all times ET)

The core dates to mark on your calendar for 2026 are:

Ash Wednesday — Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET). This day begins the 40 days of Lent observed by many Western Christian traditions.
Lent — from Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, through Thursday, April 2, 2026 (ET). The 40-day observance excludes Sundays in most Western traditions and culminates with Holy Week.
Good Friday — Friday, April 3, 2026 (ET). The solemn day commemorates the crucifixion and is observed with services, fasting and reflection in many denominations.
Easter Sunday — Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET). The principal feast celebrating the resurrection and the culmination of Holy Week.

For those following the Eastern Orthodox calendar, Great Lent in 2026 begins later and runs from Monday, Feb. 23 through Saturday, April 11 (ET), meaning Orthodox Easter typically falls on a different date than the Western observance.

Why Easter’s date moves and why 2026 is earlier

Easter is a moveable feast: its date is set by a formula tied to the lunar cycle and the spring equinox. In Western Christian practice, Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the ecclesiastical spring equinox. Because the cycles of the moon and the way the equinox is calculated vary year to year — and differ between Western and Eastern calendars — the date of Easter shifts within a range each spring.

In practical terms, this means the whole Lent season, including Ash Wednesday and Holy Week, slides forward or back on civil calendars from year to year. In 2026, that cycle places Ash Wednesday in mid-February and Easter in early April, more than two weeks earlier than some recent years.

What communities and families should expect

An earlier Lent and Easter affect planning for worship schedules, school calendars, holiday events and travel. Parishes and congregations often publish special service times for Ash Wednesday, Holy Week and the Triduum. Many people observe Lent by giving up foods or habits, increasing prayer or attending additional services; Ash Wednesday remains one of the most well-attended days in many places, as people make a public start to the season.

Holy Week will follow the familiar sequence: Palm Sunday the week before Easter, Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday observances in some traditions, Good Friday services that many communities hold midday or in the evening, and then the Easter Vigil or morning celebrations on Easter Sunday. Those who follow the Orthodox calendar should note that their Great Lent and Paschal celebrations fall on different dates this year, which can influence joint or ecumenical planning.

For planners of events and for individuals arranging travel, early April’s Easter means that spring break schedules, childcare arrangements and extended-family gatherings may need to be adjusted. Employers and schools that set calendars well in advance will typically list these dates; individuals may want to confirm local service times and community events closer to the season.

In short: when is easter in 2026? Easter will be observed on Sunday, April 5, 2026 (ET), with Ash Wednesday beginning Lent on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET) and Good Friday on April 3, 2026 (ET). Observant communities and families should begin planning now for worship, travel and seasonal traditions.