When Is Easter 2026?
Orthodox Easter 2026 falls on Sunday, 12 April 2026. Catholic Easter falls on Sunday, 5 April 2026.
Orthodox Easter
12 April
Sunday · 2026
Catholic Easter
5 April
Sunday · 2026
In 2026 Orthodox Easter falls 1 week after Catholic Easter.
Movable church feasts in 2026
| Feast | Date | Day | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sirni Zagovezni (Forgiveness Sunday) | 22 Feb 2026 | Sunday | — |
| Todorovden (St Theodore’s Day) | 28 Feb 2026 | Saturday | — |
| Lazarovden (Lazarus Saturday) | 4 Apr 2026 | Saturday | — |
| Tsvetnitsa (Palm Sunday) | 5 Apr 2026 | Sunday | — |
| Good Friday | 10 Apr 2026 | Friday | day off |
| Holy Saturday | 11 Apr 2026 | Saturday | day off |
| Orthodox Easter Sunday | 12 Apr 2026 | Sunday | day off |
| Easter Monday | 13 Apr 2026 | Monday | day off |
| Ascension (Spasovden) | 21 May 2026 | Thursday | — |
| Pentecost | 31 May 2026 | Sunday | — |
| Day of the Holy Spirit | 1 Jun 2026 | Monday | — |
Days off per Art. 154 of the Bulgarian Labour Code: Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday and Monday.
Why does the date move every year?
Easter is kept on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, so the date wanders — Orthodox Easter falls between 4 April and 8 May on the civil (Gregorian) calendar. The Orthodox Church reckons the full moon and the equinox by the Julian calendar, the Catholic Church by the Gregorian one, which usually separates the two feasts by one to five weeks.
Every date on this page comes from the same holiday calendar that powers the svcs.bg year calendars, countdowns and month guides.
Easter dates by year
Frequently asked questions
When is Easter in 2026?
Orthodox Easter 2026 falls on Sunday, 12 April 2026.
When is Catholic Easter in 2026?
Catholic Easter 2026 falls on Sunday, 5 April 2026.
Why do Orthodox and Catholic Easter fall on different dates?
Both churches follow the rule “the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox”, but the Orthodox computus uses the Julian calendar while the Catholic one uses the Gregorian. The dates therefore usually differ by 1–5 weeks, and in some years coincide. In 2026 Orthodox Easter falls 1 week after Catholic Easter.
Which days around Easter 2026 are public holidays in Bulgaria?
The official days off are Good Friday (Friday, 10 April 2026), Holy Saturday (Saturday, 11 April 2026), and Easter Sunday and Monday (12 April and 13 April).
When are Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday in 2026?
Lazarus Saturday falls on Saturday, 4 April 2026 and Palm Sunday on Sunday, 5 April 2026 — the week before Easter.