Orthodox Easter 2027: May 2, Holy Week & Lent

The dates to keep

Use this table to plan time with your parish. It gives feast dates, not service starting times: the Paschal vigil commonly begins on Saturday evening, May 1, and continues into Sunday. Check the parish bulletin before arranging travel.

Download these eight dates for your calendar (.ics). They are all-day reminders; importing them does not add a parish service schedule.

Dates: GOARCH Paschalion for 2027. Pascha is also confirmed by the OCA readings for May 2.

Why is Orthodox Easter later in 2027?

Western Easter falls on March 28 in 2027, while the traditional Orthodox Paschal calendar gives May 2. These dates are also printed together in the OCA desk calendar’s list of important dates for 2027. The churches use different calendrical calculations; the gap is not the same every year.

Do not calculate Pascha by adding thirteen days to Western Easter. That offset concerns particular fixed dates in the Julian and Gregorian calendars during this period; it does not reproduce the movable Paschal calculation. A published church Paschalion is the right reference. The dates here describe the traditional Orthodox cycle used by GOARCH and the OCA; confirm the practice of the church you will visit.

From Lent into Holy Week

Great Lent is the preparation for Pascha. Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday stand at the threshold of Holy Week, which leads through Christ’s Passion and burial to the proclamation of the Resurrection. For the meaning of the services, read our guide to Orthodox Holy Week and Pascha.

Planning ahead can be very ordinary: ask which evening services your parish holds, decide which you can attend, and leave room for rest and family responsibilities. A calendar should help you participate. It should not become a measure of whether you have attended enough services.

Visiting a parish for Pascha

Visitors can attend Orthodox worship. If you are coming for the first time, contact the parish about timing, parking and accessibility. Midnight services can be long and crowded; an earlier service during Holy Week may offer a quieter first visit. Children and people who need to sit are part of parish life.

Attendance and receiving Communion are different questions. Communion is for Orthodox Christians prepared according to their parish’s guidance. Ask the priest if you are unsure, and feel free to attend without approaching the chalice. Our parish-finding guide links to official directories.

Keep the date connected to daily life

Before Lent begins, choose a manageable prayer and reading rhythm with your priest. Keep your local fasting calendar nearby, prepare simple meals, and make a concrete place for generosity. The fasting calendar guide explains how fixed seasons and movable dates fit together.

Keep this 2027 page bookmarked if you are arranging time off or planning a visit. For the next celebration after 2027, consult the linked Paschalion rather than reusing this year’s dates. The calendar download is deliberately labeled 2027 so it will not silently become a different year’s schedule.