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When is Easter Sunday?
Easter Sunday falls on Sunday, March 28, 2027.
About Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is the most important festival in the Christian calendar, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The date moves each year. It is worked out as the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox, which places it between March 22 and April 25 in the Western, Gregorian calendar. Eastern Orthodox churches use a different calculation and often keep Easter on another date. Easter is preceded by the 40-day season of Lent, a time of fasting and reflection, and by Holy Week, and it is followed by the 50-day Easter season that ends at Pentecost. Common traditions include church services, a family meal, the decorating of Easter eggs, and chocolate eggs and rabbits given to children.
The Western rule for dating Easter goes back to the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, which fixed Easter as a Sunday tied to the spring full moon, though the detailed calculation has been refined many times since. The "paschal full moon" used in the Western reckoning is not always the same as the true astronomical full moon, because it follows a fixed cyclical approximation. Eastern Orthodox churches still use the older Julian calendar for their liturgical dates, so Orthodox Easter usually falls between one and five weeks after Western Easter, although the two occasionally coincide, as they did in 2025. The custom of decorated Easter eggs is older than Christianity in many cultures. In the early church, eggs were not eaten during the Lenten fast, so decorating and eating the surplus on Easter Sunday became a natural tradition.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the date of Easter change every year?
Easter moves because it is set by the moon as well as the sun. The Western rule places Easter Sunday on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox, which is treated as March 21. Because the lunar cycle does not line up neatly with the calendar year, that full moon lands on a different date each year, and so does Easter. The result is that Easter Sunday can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25 in the Western calendar.
Why do Orthodox and Western Easter fall on different dates?
The difference comes from the calendars the churches use. Western churches calculate Easter using the Gregorian calendar, while Eastern Orthodox churches use the older Julian calendar for their religious dates. The two calendars are now 13 days apart, and the Orthodox calculation also handles the spring equinox and the full moon differently. As a result Orthodox Easter usually falls one to five weeks after Western Easter. In some years the calculations happen to land on the same Sunday, as they did in 2025.
What is the connection between Easter and Passover?
Easter and the Jewish festival of Passover are closely linked in both timing and meaning. The events of the crucifixion and resurrection in the Gospels take place at the time of Passover in Jerusalem. The early church set Easter in relation to the spring full moon, the same astronomical marker that governs Passover, which is why the two festivals usually fall close together. Many languages even use a name for Easter derived from Passover, such as Pâques in French and Pascha in Greek.
Why are eggs associated with Easter?
Eggs have long been a symbol of new life and rebirth, which fits the Easter theme of resurrection. There is also a practical reason. In the early church, eggs were among the rich foods given up during the Lenten fast, so households built up a surplus by the time Lent ended. Decorating and eating eggs on Easter Sunday used up that surplus and marked the end of the fast. Over time the painted egg became a chocolate one, and the Easter egg hunt grew into a popular children's custom.
What is Holy Week?
Holy Week is the final week of Lent, leading directly into Easter, and it recalls the last days of Jesus's life. It begins with Palm Sunday, which remembers his entry into Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday recalls the Last Supper. Good Friday marks his crucifixion and death, and Holy Saturday is a quiet day of waiting. The week ends with Easter Sunday and the celebration of the resurrection. Many churches hold special services on each of these days, and Holy Week is the most solemn stretch of the Christian year.