How many days until Easter?
A live countdown in your time zone. Bookmark it and check back any time.
– days to go
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When is Easter?
Easter Sunday moves every year. It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, so it can land anywhere from 22 March to 25 April. This countdown calculates the date automatically.
This page uses the Western (Gregorian) date of Easter. Orthodox churches often celebrate on a later date because they use the Julian calendar for the calculation.
How the date of Easter is worked out
Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, a rule that goes back to the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. That's why it moves between 22 March and 25 April. Churches use a fixed table rather than the real moon, so the date can be calculated centuries ahead, which is how this countdown always knows the next one.
Orthodox churches use the same rule but with the older Julian calendar, so their Easter is often one or more weeks later than the Western date.
The Easter long weekend
In Australia, the UK and many other countries, Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays, creating a four-day weekend. In Australia, school holidays are often scheduled around Easter, making it one of the busiest times of year for travel and camping. Book accommodation early.
Hot cross buns, chocolate eggs and egg hunts are the best-known traditions. The Easter Bunny comes from German folklore, and in Australia the Easter Bilby has become a popular alternative, raising awareness of the endangered native animal.
Questions people ask
Why does Easter change date every year?
Easter is tied to the spring full moon, so it moves between 22 March and 25 April.
When is Good Friday?
Good Friday is two days before Easter Sunday.
Is Orthodox Easter on the same day?
Sometimes, but often it's one or more weeks later because it's calculated with the Julian calendar.