Easter Countdown

How many days until Easter?

The Easter countdown above ticks every second to Easter Sunday — the most important day in the Western Christian liturgical year. Easter is calculated automatically using the Computus formula, so the countdown adjusts each year to the correct date.

When is Easter?

Unlike most Western holidays, Easter falls on a different date every year — anywhere from 22 March to 25 April. The 35-day window is set by a complex rule called the Computus: Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon on or after the spring equinox.

Easter dates through 2032

The Easter Computus explained

The rule was set by the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE: Easter is the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon that falls on or after the vernal equinox (fixed at 21 March in the rule). The catch is that the Church uses calculated approximations for both the equinox and the full moon, not the actual astronomical events.

If the first full moon falls on a Sunday, Easter is the following Sunday — meaning Easter is never on the same day as the Jewish Passover Seder, ensuring the two festivals don't coincide.

Easter date extremes

• Earliest possible — 22 March (last occurred in 1818, won't happen again until 2285)
• Latest possible — 25 April (last occurred in 1943, will next happen in 2038)
• Most common dates — Easter falls on 19 April most often (long-term frequency)

Why Orthodox Easter is different

Eastern Orthodox churches use the older Julian calendar to calculate Easter, which puts the equinox 13 days behind the Gregorian. As a result, Orthodox Easter usually falls 1–5 weeks after Western Easter.

The two occasionally coincide — both 2025 and 2028 fall on the same date in both calendars. The longest gap between Western and Orthodox Easter is 5 weeks (35 days).

Holy Week — the days leading up to Easter

The week before Easter Sunday is Holy Week — the holiest week in the Christian liturgical year:

• Palm Sunday — 7 days before Easter. Commemorates Jesus's entry into Jerusalem. Palm fronds are distributed in churches.
• Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday — special services in some traditions.
• Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) — commemorates the Last Supper. The name "Maundy" comes from Latin mandatum ("commandment"). In some countries, royals or clergy perform foot-washing ceremonies.
• Good Friday — commemorates the Crucifixion. Solemn day of fasting and prayer; widely observed as a public holiday.
• Holy Saturday — the day Jesus lay in the tomb. Easter Vigil services are held after sunset.
• Easter Sunday — the Resurrection. The most joyful day of the Christian year.

Lent — the 40 days before Easter

The Easter countdown is preceded by Lent — a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and reflection. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (46 days before Easter, since Sundays are not counted as fast days).

Key Lent dates relative to Easter Sunday

• Mardi Gras / Shrove Tuesday — 47 days before Easter. The day before Lent begins; traditionally a feast day to use up rich foods.
• Ash Wednesday — 46 days before Easter. Start of Lent; Christians receive ashes on the forehead in the shape of a cross.
• Mid-Lent / Laetare Sunday — the 4th Sunday of Lent. A break in Lenten fasting in some traditions.
• Palm Sunday — 7 days before Easter. Start of Holy Week.

Easter weekend public holidays

Many countries treat the Easter weekend as a four-day public holiday:

• UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand — Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays. Most businesses close.
• Most of continental Europe — Good Friday and Easter Monday public holidays.
• United States — Easter Sunday is observed religiously but Good Friday and Easter Monday are not federal holidays. Some states (Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas) recognise Good Friday.
• Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Ukraine — Orthodox Easter is the major holiday, often spanning multiple days.

Easter symbols and their origins

• Eggs — symbolise new life and the empty tomb. The tradition predates Christianity but was absorbed into Easter celebrations. Painting eggs goes back at least to early medieval Europe.
• The Easter Bunny — first appeared in 17th-century German Lutheran tradition (the Osterhase), brought to America by German immigrants in Pennsylvania in the 18th century. Bunnies symbolise fertility and spring renewal.
• Hot cross buns — traditional Good Friday bread in Britain. The cross marks the religious significance.
• Lily flowers — symbol of purity and resurrection; common in Easter church decorations.
• The Easter parade — a New York tradition since the 19th century, with elaborate Easter-themed clothing.
• Lamb dishes — common Easter meals in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Christianity, symbolising Christ as the "Lamb of God."

Other "Easters" worldwide

• Pascha (Greek/Russian) — Easter is called Pascha in Eastern Orthodox tradition, from the Hebrew Pesach (Passover).
• Pâques (French), Pasqua (Italian), Pascua (Spanish) — all derived from Pascha.
• Påsk (Swedish), Påske (Norwegian/Danish) — Scandinavian variants.
• Ostern (German), Easter (English) — likely named after Eostre, an ancient Anglo-Saxon dawn goddess celebrated in spring (per the 8th-century historian Bede).