Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday 2027 falls on Sunday 28 March. In 2028, Easter Sunday falls on Sunday 16 April.
The dates of Easter Sunday, this year and in the years ahead.
When is Easter Sunday?
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Sunday, 20 April 2025 |
| 2026 | Sunday, 5 April 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, 28 March 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday, 16 April 2028 |
| 2029 | Sunday, 1 April 2029 |
| 2030 | Sunday, 21 April 2030 |
| 2031 | Sunday, 13 April 2031 |
Dates calculated from the statutory rules. Source: GOV.UK: UK bank holidays. More about our sources
What is Easter?
Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar. Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion on Good Friday. Easter Sunday ends Lent, the forty days of fasting and reflection that begin on Ash Wednesday.
How is the date of Easter set?
Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the 21st of March, the church's fixed date for the spring equinox. That's why Easter moves every year, between the 22nd of March and the 25th of April. Western churches use the Gregorian calendar for this calculation; Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar, so their Easter is often later.
In 2027 it falls on Sunday 28 March.
Many other days are counted from Easter, such as Shrove Tuesday, Good Friday, Ascension Day and Pentecost.
Easter in the UK
Easter Sunday itself is not a bank holiday, as it always falls on a Sunday, but it sits in the middle of a long weekend with Good Friday and, outside Scotland, Easter Monday. Large shops in England and Wales are required to close on Easter Sunday under Sunday trading rules, while smaller shops may open. Chocolate eggs, egg hunts and a family roast lunch are the usual traditions.
Frequently asked questions
When is Easter Sunday 2027?
In 2027, Easter Sunday falls on Sunday 28 March.
Is Easter Sunday a day off?
No, Easter Sunday is not a public holiday in the United Kingdom.
Why does Easter fall on a different date every year?
Because it depends on the moon: Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the 21st of March. As a result it falls between the 22nd of March and the 25th of April.
Why is Orthodox Easter often on a different date?
Orthodox churches calculate Easter with the Julian calendar. Their Easter can fall on the same Sunday as Western Easter, but is often one or more weeks later.