Easter Sunday 2026
religiousSunday, March 28, 2027
196 days from today · next occurrence
About Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is the most important feast of the Christian year, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion. Its date is famously slippery: it falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, which means it can land anywhere between March 22 and April 25. Churches hold sunrise services, and families gather for festive meals.
Christians worldwide observe it, from grand cathedrals to small congregations, and plenty of non-religious families join in for the spring fun. The holiday grew out of the Jewish Passover season and has been celebrated since the earliest decades of Christianity. Different church traditions sometimes celebrate on different dates, with Orthodox Easter often following the Western date by a week or more.
Alongside worship, Easter carries a bright, kid-friendly side. Children hunt for hidden eggs, baskets appear filled with chocolate, and a mysterious rabbit is credited with delivering both. Families dress up, bake lamb or ham, and enjoy spring flowers like lilies and tulips. It is a holiday that manages to be solemn at sunrise and sticky-fingered by noon.
When is Easter Sunday?
| Year | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April 5, 2026 | Sunday |
| 2027 | March 28, 2027 | Sunday |
| 2028 | April 16, 2028 | Sunday |
| 2029 | April 1, 2029 | Sunday |
| 2030 | April 21, 2030 | Sunday |
History of Easter Sunday
Easter has been observed since the first century, when followers of Jesus began gathering on Sundays to mark his resurrection. Early church leaders debated the date for centuries, since congregations in Asia Minor and Rome initially celebrated on different days. The Council of Nicaea settled the matter in 325 CE, fixing the formula of the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon. The name Easter may come from Eostre, a Germanic goddess of spring, while most languages use a word related to Passover. Symbols like eggs and bunnies arrived with medieval and German traditions; the Easter bunny crossed to America with Pennsylvania Dutch settlers in the 1700s. Egg hunts and chocolate eggs became widespread in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Today it remains both the holiest day of the Christian calendar and a beloved spring festival.
How to Celebrate Easter Sunday
- Attend a sunrise service or morning mass if you observe the religious tradition.
- Host an egg hunt, hiding plastic eggs with treats or coins inside.
- Fill Easter baskets with chocolate, small toys, and spring candies.
- Dye hard-boiled eggs with the family, then eat them in sandwiches all week.
- Serve a festive meal featuring lamb, ham, or your family's favorite side dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Easter?
- Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. That places it anywhere between March 22 and April 25, and the date changes every year.
- Is Easter a public holiday?
- Easter Sunday itself is not a federal holiday in the United States, though Good Friday is a state holiday in some states. Many schools and businesses close, and it is an official public holiday in many other countries.
- How do people celebrate Easter?
- People attend church services, gather for festive meals, host egg hunts, and give baskets filled with chocolate and small gifts. Families often dye eggs and decorate with spring flowers.
- Why does the date of Easter change?
- Early Christians tied the date to the Jewish Passover and the lunar calendar. The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE set the Sunday-after-full-moon formula still used today.