Christian holy day · Sunday, March 28, 2027
Easter
The center of the Christian year: from the sorrow of Good Friday to the joy of the resurrection.
Say it like a neighbor
Happy Easter
Say: HAP-ee EE-ster · among Christians, “He is risen!”
He is risen indeed!
Many Christians greet each other with “He is risen!” and answer “He is risen indeed!” Orthodox Christians say “Christ is risen!” (in Greek, Christos anesti) with the reply “Truly He is risen!” (Alithos anesti).
Mar 28
Tap to watch the sun come up on Easter morning.
When is Easter? Key dates and days to know
Main day
Easter is March 28 for Catholic, Protestant and most Western churches. Orthodox churches celebrate Pascha on May 2, 2027, because they use a different calendar and rule for the date.
What is Easter and what does it mean?
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after he was crucified. For Christians it is the most important day of the year, even more than Christmas, because it is the heart of what they believe: that death does not have the last word.
It is the end of a journey. Lent, forty days of prayer and simpler living, leads to Holy Week, which walks through Jesus’s last meal, trial and death, and then bursts into joy on Sunday morning.
Good to know: Jews and Christians have a shared root here. The Last Supper was a Passover meal, and Easter often falls near Passover.
How is Easter celebrated? Customs and traditions
Lent
The forty days before Easter (not counting Sundays) are a season of prayer, fasting and giving. Many people give something up, like sweets or social media, and Catholics skip meat on Fridays.
Palm Sunday
A week before Easter, churches hand out palm branches to remember Jesus entering Jerusalem.
Holy Thursday and Good Friday
Holy Thursday remembers the Last Supper, and in many churches includes washing feet. Good Friday is solemn, with fasting, long services and the Stations of the Cross.
Easter Vigil and sunrise services
Many churches meet on Saturday night or at dawn on Sunday, often outdoors, to celebrate the resurrection.
Lilies, eggs and the bunny
White lilies and eggs are signs of new life. The Easter bunny and egg hunts grew up around those older images, and are fun for kids, though not everyone includes them.
A festive meal
Families gather for a big meal after church. Ham and lamb are common, and in some cultures bread, sweets or special dishes are blessed first.
Semana Santa
In Latino communities, Holy Week is marked with processions and Via Crucis, and Easter Sunday follows with family gatherings.
Being a good neighbor at Easter
Tap each one as you go.
Easter in Houston: how neighbors can take part
Holy Week begins Sunday, March 21
Houston is home to Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Black church, Latino and Pentecostal congregations of every size, and most of them publish a Holy Week schedule in March.
Expect Holy Thursday and Good Friday services, Stations of the Cross, Easter Vigil on Saturday night, and sunrise services on Easter morning. Many are free and open to visitors, and some are held outdoors, including at parks and on the Gulf coast.
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston keeps a parish finder, and many other denominations list services on their own sites.
Easter events in Houston
Every church sets its own times. Please check the church website or call.
Questions neighbors ask about Easter
When is Easter 2027?
Easter is Sunday, March 28, 2027. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on March 21, followed by Holy Thursday on March 25 and Good Friday on March 26.
What do you say on Easter?
“Happy Easter” is a warm greeting. Many Christians answer “He is risen” with “He is risen indeed.”
Why does the date of Easter change every year?
Western churches set Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. Orthodox churches use a different calendar, so their Easter is often on another date.
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