Days Until Easter 2026
Find out exactly how many days until Easter! Our live countdown shows days, weeks, hours, and minutes until Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026. Easter is the most important date in the Christian calendar, and its date changes every year based on a lunisolar calculation tied to the spring equinox and the full moon.
- Easter 2026 date: Sunday, April 5, 2026
- Federal holiday: No — Easter is not a US federal holiday, but it always falls on a Sunday
- How the date is set: Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox (March 21), determined by the lunisolar calendar
- Good Friday 2026: Friday, April 3, 2026 (2 days before Easter)
- Related: Days until Christmas · Days until New Year · Date Calculator
Easter 2026 Countdown
Live countdown to Sunday, April 5, 2026
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Easter 2026 Quick Facts
| Occasion | Date |
|---|---|
| Easter Sunday | April 5, 2026 |
| Good Friday | April 3, 2026 |
| Palm Sunday | March 29, 2026 |
| Ash Wednesday | February 18, 2026 |
| Lent Duration | 40 days (Feb 18 -- Apr 4) |
Easter-Related Dates 2026
Here are all the key liturgical and cultural dates surrounding Easter in 2026:
| Occasion | 2026 Date | Day | Relative to Easter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ash Wednesday | February 18 | Wednesday | 46 days before |
| Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) | February 17 | Tuesday | 47 days before |
| Palm Sunday | March 29 | Sunday | 7 days before |
| Holy Thursday | April 2 | Thursday | 3 days before |
| Good Friday | April 3 | Friday | 2 days before |
| Holy Saturday | April 4 | Saturday | 1 day before |
| Easter Sunday | April 5 | Sunday | -- |
| Easter Monday | April 6 | Monday | 1 day after |
Easter Dates 2024-2030
Unlike fixed holidays, Easter falls on a different date each year. Here are the upcoming Easter Sunday dates:
| Year | Easter Date | Day | Days Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | March 31 | Sunday | Past |
| 2025 | April 20 | Sunday | Past |
| 2026 | April 5 | Sunday | -- |
| 2027 | March 28 | Sunday | -- |
| 2028 | April 16 | Sunday | -- |
| 2029 | April 1 | Sunday | -- |
| 2030 | April 21 | Sunday | -- |
Note: Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25. The earliest possible Easter in this table is March 28 (2027), and the latest is April 21 (2030).
How Easter Date is Calculated
The date of Easter is determined using a method called computus, a Latin word meaning "computation." This algorithm has been used since the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD to ensure all Christian churches celebrate Easter on the same day.
The core rule is straightforward: Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon on or after March 21 (the nominal date of the spring equinox). However, the "ecclesiastical full moon" is not the astronomical full moon but rather a calculated date based on a 19-year Metonic cycle that approximates lunar phases.
Because of this lunisolar system, Easter can fall on any date between March 22 and April 25 in the Gregorian calendar. The last time Easter fell on the earliest possible date (March 22) was in 1818, and it will not happen again until 2285.
It is worth noting that Eastern Orthodox churches often celebrate Easter on a different date because they still use the Julian calendar for the computation. In 2026, Orthodox Easter falls on April 12 -- one week after Western Easter. For a deeper look at the mathematics behind the calculation, see the Wikipedia article on the Date of Easter.
Easter Around the World
Easter is celebrated in many different ways across the globe. While the religious significance remains the same, cultural traditions vary widely from country to country. Some nations treat Easter as a major public holiday with extended weekends, while others observe it more quietly.
| Country | Tradition | Public Holiday? |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Egg hunts, Easter Bunny, church services, family gatherings | No (Sunday) |
| United Kingdom | Hot cross buns, egg rolling, chocolate eggs, Good Friday off | Yes (Fri + Mon) |
| Germany | Easter fires (Osterfeuer), decorated egg trees, Easter lamb | Yes (Fri + Mon) |
| Spain | Semana Santa processions, religious floats, hooded penitents | Yes (Holy Week) |
| Australia | Easter Bilby (replaces bunny), camping, Royal Easter Show | Yes (Fri-Mon) |
| Brazil | Passion plays, straw Judas burning, chocolate eggs, family meals | Yes (Fri + Sun) |
Frequently Asked Questions
The countdown above shows the exact number of days remaining until Easter Sunday 2026 (April 5, 2026). It updates automatically each day and also displays weeks, months, hours, weekdays, and weekend days.
Easter 2026 is on Sunday, April 5. Easter always falls on a Sunday. See the Easter dates table above for all upcoming dates through 2030, including March 28 in 2027 and April 21 in 2030.
Easter 2026 falls on Sunday, April 5, 2026. This date is determined by the lunisolar calendar -- Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox (March 21). Good Friday is April 3 and Palm Sunday is March 29.
Easter moves because it follows a lunisolar calendar rather than the fixed Gregorian calendar. The date depends on the phases of the moon relative to the spring equinox. The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD established this rule, which means Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25.
No, Easter Sunday is not a US federal holiday. However, because it always falls on a Sunday, most people already have the day off. Good Friday is not a federal holiday either, though some states and many private employers observe it as a paid holiday.
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, observed as the day Jesus Christ was crucified. In 2026, Good Friday falls on April 3. It is a public holiday in many countries and several US states, and many businesses close early or give employees the day off.
Easter is calculated using a method called computus. The rule is: Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon on or after March 21 (the fixed spring equinox). The calculation involves both solar and lunar cycles and has been used since the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.