Easter dates for the next six years
Western Easter sets the dates of four more holidays across most of Europe: Good Friday two days before, Easter Monday the day after, Ascension Day 39 days after, and Whit Monday 50 days after. The Orthodox column is the date Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria celebrate.
| Year | Easter Sunday | Orthodox Easter | Good Friday | Easter Monday | Ascension | Whit Monday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Sun 28 March | Sun 2 May | Fri 26 March | Mon 29 March | Thu 6 May | Mon 17 May |
| 2028 | Sun 16 April | Same day | Fri 14 April | Mon 17 April | Thu 25 May | Mon 5 June |
| 2029 | Sun 1 April | Sun 8 April | Fri 30 March | Mon 2 April | Thu 10 May | Mon 21 May |
| 2030 | Sun 21 April | Sun 28 April | Fri 19 April | Mon 22 April | Thu 30 May | Mon 10 June |
| 2031 | Sun 13 April | Same day | Fri 11 April | Mon 14 April | Thu 22 May | Mon 2 June |
| 2032 | Sun 28 March | Sun 2 May | Fri 26 March | Mon 29 March | Thu 6 May | Mon 17 May |
Why Easter moves
Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March — with two catches. The “full moon” is not the astronomical one but an ecclesiastical approximation worked out from tables, and 21 March is fixed rather than the actual equinox. The result is that Western Easter always falls between 22 March and 25 April, which is why the Easter holidays can land anywhere across five weeks of spring.
The Orthodox churches use the same rule but apply it in the Julian calendar, which currently runs 13 days behind. Orthodox Easter therefore falls between 4 April and 8 May in today's calendar, usually one to five weeks after Western Easter — but in some years the two land on the same Sunday, as they do in 2028, 2031, 2034.
One quirk: Finland's Orthodox church — a national church there — celebrates Easter on the Western date, so Easter in Finland is a single date for everyone.
Easter public holidays by country, 2027
Which of the Easter-linked days are statutory public holidays in the ten countries VClock covers, from the same data as the holiday calendars. Easter Sunday and Whit Sunday are left out — they are Sundays everywhere.
| Country | Good Friday | Easter Monday | Ascension | Whit Monday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| France | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Italy | — | ✓ | — | — |
| Spain | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Poland | — | ✓ | — | — |
| Netherlands | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Belgium | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Portugal | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Sweden | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Austria | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Spain varies more than the table can show: Maundy Thursday is a holiday in most regions but not Catalonia, and Easter Monday is a holiday only in some, including Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Basque Country and Navarre. In France, Good Friday is a public holiday only in Alsace and Moselle.
Questions
When is Easter 2027?
Easter Sunday 2027 falls on Sunday 28 March 2027. Good Friday is Friday 26 March 2027 and Easter Monday Monday 29 March 2027.
When is Orthodox Easter 2027?
Orthodox Easter 2027 falls on Sunday 2 May 2027. It is celebrated on that date in Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria, among others.
Why are there two Easters?
Both use the same rule — the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March — but Western churches apply it in the Gregorian calendar and the Orthodox churches in the Julian one, which runs 13 days behind. The two dates coincide only in some years.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in Germany?
Yes, nationwide, along with Easter Monday. It is also a strict “silent day” (stiller Feiertag) in every German state, with restrictions on dancing and public entertainment.
More countdowns: Christmas · New Year.
Need a countdown to something else — an exam, a launch, a trip? The countdown timer can count down to any date and gives you a link to share. For the full holiday calendars by country, see public holidays in Europe.