The countdown toward Easter, the “Feast of Feasts,” begins on February 23, 2026, with the dawn of Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday). This day marks the end of the Apokries (Carnival) and the beginning of Sarakosti, the 40-day Great Lent that prepares the soul and body for the Holy Week of the Passion.
While 2025 saw a rare joint celebration, in 2026, the Catholic world will celebrate Easter on April 5, while the Greek Orthodox Church will observe Pascha on April 12.
Countdown to Easter: The 2026 Lenten calendar
February 23: Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera)
The “Great Lent” begins not with somberness, but with the flying of kites and the consumption of lagana (unleavened bread) and seafood. It is a day of purification, leaving behind the indulgence of the Carnival season.
February 23 – April 4: Sarakosti
Though called “Sarakosti” (The Forty Days), the fast actually spans 48 days, including Holy Week. It is a period of “bright sadness,” where the faithful refrain from meat, dairy, and fish (with specific exceptions like Palm Sunday) to focus on prayer and internal renewal.
The Service of the Salutations (Chairetismoi)
Throughout the first five weeks of Lent, Friday evenings are dedicated to the Virgin Mary through the Akathist Hymn.
March 6: First Salutation Service
March 13: Second Salutation Service
March 20: Third Salutation Service
March 27: Fourth Salutation Service
April 3: The Akathist Hymn (The entire hymn is sung)
The bridge to Holy Week
April 4: Lazarus Saturday
The resurrection of Lazarus in Bethany is celebrated as a “prophecy in action,” foreshadowing Christ’s own victory over death.
April 5: Palm Sunday
Marking Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the churches are decorated with palm fronds, and the strict fast is briefly broken with a traditional fish dinner.
April 5 – April 11: Holy Week 2026
The most intense week of the ecclesiastical year, during which the services recount the final days of Jesus.
Holy Monday & Tuesday: Focused on the parables of the Ten Virgins and the need for spiritual wakefulness.
Holy Wednesday: The Service of the Holy Unction, where the faithful are anointed for the healing of soul and body.
Holy Thursday (April 9): The service of the Twelve Gospels. The “Crucified One” is placed in the center of the church in an atmosphere of deep mourning.
Holy Friday (April 10): A day of total mourning. The bells toll slowly as the Epitaphios (the symbolic tomb of Christ) is decorated with flowers and carried through the streets in a funeral procession.
Holy Saturday (April 11): The “First Resurrection” service in the morning leads into the midnight Anastasis. At midnight, the “Holy Light” is passed from person to person as the joyful cry of “Christos Anesti” (Christ is Risen) echoes across Greece.
April 12: Easter Sunday (Pascha)
The culmination of the journey. Families gather for the traditional roasting of the lamb, the cracking of red-dyed eggs, and the celebration of the Resurrection—the ultimate victory of life over death.
