When Is Easter 2022? | How Easter's Date Is Determined

Easter is a spring holiday unlike any other—its date changes every year, guided not by the calendar alone but by the cycles of the Moon. In 2026, Easter Sunday falls on April 5, but the story behind how Easter is determined reaches back centuries, linking ancient calendars, the spring equinox, the Paschal Full Moon, and long-held tradition.

Here, The Old Farmer’s Almanac explains when Easter is celebrated, why its date changes from year to year, how the Moon helps determine Easter Sunday, and where the holiday’s name and customs originated.

When Is Easter in 2026?

Easter’s date in 2026 is Sunday, April 5. While many Christian churches follow the Gregorian calendar, some Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the Julian calendar, which results in a later Easter date.

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Easter Dates

Year	Easter Sunday(Gregorian calendar)	Eastern Orthodox Church(Julian calendar date converted to Gregorian)
2026	April 5	April 12
2027	March 28	May 2
2028	April 16	April 16
2029	April 1	April 8

What Day Is Easter?

Easter is always observed on a Sunday—hence the name Easter Sunday. In 2026, Easter Sunday falls on April 5.

Why Does Easter’s Date Change?

Easter is known as a “movable feast,” meaning it does not fall on the same calendar date each year. Unlike Christmas, which is fixed to the solar calendar, Easter is determined by the Moon.

Easter Sunday is observed on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full Moon is the Full Moon that occurs on or after the Church’s fixed date for the spring equinox, March 21.

Because Easter is tied to lunar cycles, its date changes from year to year. Our Moon Phase Calendar shows how the Moon’s phases shift throughout the year.

Because lunar months last about 29.5 days and do not align neatly with our calendar months, Easter’s date shifts from year to year. In the Gregorian calendar, Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25.

Is Easter Always in March or April?

Easter is a “movable feast,” meaning it does not fall on the same date each year. In the Gregorian calendar, Easter Sunday is always observed on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, which follows the Julian calendar, Easter can fall later—between April 4 and May 8 when converted to the Gregorian calendar.

What Is the Most Common Easter Date?

Over a 500-year period (from 1600 to 2099), Easter most often falls on March 31 or April 16.

What Is the Most Unusual Easter Date?

The rarest date for Easter is March 22. Other uncommon dates include April 24 and March 23.

How Is the Date of Easter Determined?

The method used to calculate Easter dates was established in A.D. 325. To simplify the process, the Christian Church fixed the spring equinox at March 21, even though the astronomical equinox can vary slightly from year to year.

This fixed date is known as the ecclesiastical equinox. As a result, the Paschal Full Moon used to determine Easter does not always coincide with the astronomical Full Moon closest to the true equinox.

What Happens When the Full Moon and the Spring Equinox Occur on the Same Day?

When the Full Moon falls on the same day as the astronomical spring equinox, Easter is not always observed on the following Sunday. Because the Church observes the equinox as March 21, a Full Moon that occurs earlier may not qualify as the Paschal Full Moon.

This occurred in 2019, when the astronomical equinox and Full Moon both fell on March 20. Since the Church’s equinox is March 21, that Full Moon did not count, and Easter was instead observed on Sunday, April 21, following the next Full Moon.

What Is the Paschal Full Moon?

The word Paschal comes from Pascha, derived from the Hebrew word Pesach, meaning Passover. The Paschal Full Moon is defined as the 14th day of a lunar month occurring on or after March 21, according to a fixed set of ecclesiastical calendar rules.

These rules were designed to make Easter’s date predictable far in advance, even though they do not always match the astronomical timing of the Full Moon.

What Is the Golden Number?

The Golden Number is traditionally used to determine Easter’s date. It represents a year’s position in a 19-year lunar cycle, known as the Metonic cycle, after which the phases of the Moon repeat on approximately the same calendar dates.

To calculate the Golden Number, add 1 to the year and divide the result by 19. The remainder is the Golden Number; if there is no remainder, the Golden Number is 19.

For example, the Golden Number for 2026 is 13.

When Is Ash Wednesday? When Is Lent?

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays). In 2026, Ash Wednesday falls on February 18.

Ash Wednesday marks a day of fasting and reflection in many Christian traditions and the beginning of the Lenten season.

What Is Easter?

Easter is the most important feast in the Christian calendar. It commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and marks the end of Holy Week and Lent, as well as the beginning of the Easter season.

Where Did the Word “Easter” Come From?

Easter is also known as Pascha or Resurrection Sunday. The term Pascha comes directly from Pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover, reflecting the close connection between the two observances.

The origin of the English word “Easter” is uncertain. Some historians trace it to Old English words associated with dawn or springtime, while the Venerable Bede wrote that it may derive from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess linked to the season.

Regardless of its linguistic origins, Easter today is observed as a Christian celebration of resurrection, renewal, and new life.

Our Favorite Easter Recipes

Traditional Easter foods often reflect the arrival of spring and include lamb, ham, eggs, asparagus, peas, sweet breads, and hot cross buns.

Explore our collection of seasonal favorites in Favorite Easter Recipes.

Happy Easter!

From all the Editors here at The Old Farmer’s Almanac, we wish you a Happy Easter and a joyful spring season.