The Feast of Feasts
Orthodox Easter (Pascha) Dates
When Orthodox Easter falls each year, why it rarely matches Western Easter, and how the whole paschal cycle unfolds around it.
Orthodox Pascha 2026
Sunday, April 12, 2026
7 days after Western Easter (April 5).
Orthodox Easter dates, 2026–2037
| Year | Orthodox Pascha | Western Easter | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April 12 | April 5 | +7 days |
| 2027 | May 2 | March 28 | +35 days |
| 2028 | April 16 | April 16 | Same day |
| 2029 | April 8 | April 1 | +7 days |
| 2030 | April 28 | April 21 | +7 days |
| 2031 | April 13 | April 13 | Same day |
| 2032 | May 2 | March 28 | +35 days |
| 2033 | April 24 | April 17 | +7 days |
| 2034 | April 9 | April 9 | Same day |
| 2035 | April 29 | March 25 | +35 days |
| 2036 | April 20 | April 13 | +7 days |
| 2037 | April 5 | April 5 | Same day |
The paschal cycle
Pascha is the anchor of the Orthodox year. Every date below moves with it.
| Year | Clean Monday | Palm Sunday | Holy Friday | Pascha | Ascension | Pentecost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 23 | April 5 | April 10 | April 12 | May 21 | May 31 |
| 2027 | March 15 | April 25 | April 30 | May 2 | June 10 | June 20 |
| 2028 | February 28 | April 9 | April 14 | April 16 | May 25 | June 4 |
| 2029 | February 19 | April 1 | April 6 | April 8 | May 17 | May 27 |
| 2030 | March 11 | April 21 | April 26 | April 28 | June 6 | June 16 |
| 2031 | February 24 | April 6 | April 11 | April 13 | May 22 | June 1 |
Why Orthodox Easter falls later
The rule itself is shared. The First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325 fixed Pascha as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. What differs is the calendar used to apply it. The Orthodox Church still reckons the equinox and the paschal full moon on the Julian calendar, which has drifted thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar the West adopted in 1582. Orthodoxy also preserves the ancient stipulation that Pascha must fall after Jewish Passover, since the Resurrection followed it historically. Together these push Pascha one to five weeks later than Western Easter in most years — though the two occasionally coincide.
Frequently asked questions
When is Orthodox Easter?
Orthodox Pascha falls on the first Sunday after the paschal full moon following the spring equinox, calculated on the Julian calendar and always after Jewish Passover. Because of the Julian reckoning it usually falls later than Western Easter — from one to five weeks later, and occasionally on the same day.
Why is Orthodox Easter on a different date than Catholic Easter?
Both use the same rule laid down at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 — the Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. The difference is the calendar used to find the equinox and the full moon: the Orthodox Church still uses the Julian reckoning, which now runs thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar, and it keeps the ancient rule that Pascha must follow Passover.
What is Pascha?
Pascha is the Orthodox name for Easter, taken from the Greek and Hebrew word for Passover. It is the Feast of Feasts — the Resurrection of Christ — and the center of the entire liturgical year. The greeting during the season is "Christ is risen!" (Christos Anesti), answered "Truly He is risen!" (Alithos Anesti).
When does Great Lent begin?
Great Lent begins on Clean Monday, forty-eight days before Pascha. It runs for forty days, followed by Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday, and Holy Week.
What happens during Holy Week?
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. The Bridegroom services are served on the first evenings, the Mystical Supper is commemorated on Holy Thursday, the Twelve Passion Gospels are read that evening, the Epitaphios (burial shroud) is carried in procession on Holy Friday, and the Resurrection is proclaimed at midnight on Holy Saturday.
How long is the Paschal season?
Fifty days. Bright Week follows Pascha immediately with no fasting at all, and the paschal greeting and hymns continue until the Ascension (forty days) and Pentecost (fifty days).
Keep the season
Follow the fast day by day, or read today's appointed Gospel.