When Is Easter Sunday: Easter 2026 Falls on April 5 — Holy Week Dates Explained
when is easter sunday? Easter 2026 will be celebrated on April 5 (ET). Lent begins February 18 (ET), Palm Sunday is March 29 (ET) and Good Friday falls on April 3 (ET), marking the full Holy Week timeline.
When Is Easter Sunday: Key Dates
For those asking when is easter sunday in 2026, the answer is April 5 (ET). The season of Lent opens on February 18 (ET) with Ash Wednesday and spans approximately 40 days when Sundays are excluded, concluding on April 2 (ET) ahead of Holy Week. Palm Sunday, which begins Holy Week, is March 29 (ET); Good Friday, the day commemorating the crucifixion, is April 3 (ET); and Easter Sunday, the celebration of the resurrection, is April 5 (ET).
Why the Date Changes Each Year
The date of Easter moves because it is tied to lunar cycles rather than a fixed calendar day. Easter is observed on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon that follows the spring equinox, identified here as March 20. That calculation links both solar and lunar calendars and produces an annual range of possible Easter dates, typically falling between March 22 and April 25.
Expanding Details on Holy Week and Lent
Holy Week represents the final days leading to Easter Sunday and contains observances that many Christians observe through fasting, prayer, and church services. Lent, the preparatory season preceding Holy Week, is a period of reflection and restraint lasting approximately 40 days when Sundays are not counted; in 2026 it begins on February 18 (ET) and ends on April 2 (ET). The sequence of Palm Sunday (March 29, ET), Good Friday (April 3, ET) and Easter Sunday (April 5, ET) frames this most solemn and celebratory week in the Christian calendar.
Quick Context
Easter marks the resurrection and is regarded as the most important festival in Christianity. Its timing is intentionally movable so that it aligns with specific lunar and solar markers that vary from year to year.
What’s Next
Communities and congregations will use this schedule to plan services and observances through Holy Week and into Easter. Keep calendars updated now so organizers and worshippers can prepare for the April 5 (ET) observance; if you are checking schedules or coordinating events, remember when is easter sunday — April 5 (ET) — and that Lent and Holy Week dates lead into that day.
