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When Is Easter in 2027? Why It Falls So Early

"Why Easter Changes Dates Every Year", image of roses and easter eggs. When is Easter?
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Easter Sunday falls on March 28 in 2027. Easter is a holiday set by the Moon and the arrival of spring, which is why its date hops around the calendar from year to year. But why is Easter so early in 2027?

The holiday is celebrated on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25, making March 28 one of its earliest possible dates. See when Easter falls this year, next year, and beyond in the chart below, then discover how the date is determined.

When Is Easter in 2027?

In 2027, Easter Sunday is March 28 for most Christians in the U.S. and Canada. Orthodox Easter, observed by the Eastern Orthodox Church, falls later, on May 2.

Easter Dates

YearEaster SundayOrthodox Easter
2026April 5April 12
2027March 28May 2
2028April 16April 16
2029April 1April 8
2030April 21April 28

Did you know? Most Western churches calculate Easter’s date using the Gregorian calendar (the kind hanging on your kitchen wall). The Eastern Orthodox Church uses the older Julian calendar.

Why Does Easter’s Date Change Every Year?

Easter is known as a “movable feast,” which is a fancy way of saying that the date it falls on the calendar changes from year to year. The date is tied to both the spring equinox (the first day of spring) and the Moon.

Curious why Easter is so early in 2027? Jump to the explanation below—or keep reading to learn how Easter’s date is determined.

How Is the Date of Easter Determined?

Here’s the basic rule: Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon on or after March 21.

While the actual start of spring (spring equinox) can shift between March 19, 20, and 21, the Church always uses March 21 as the start of spring for calculating Easter. This keeps the calculation consistent year after year. 

But the Church doesn’t use the exact date of the Full Moon we see in the sky. Instead, it uses a calendar based on the Moon’s repeating 19-year cycle.  The Full Moon date the Church uses is called the Paschal Full Moon (say PASS-kul). Paschal means “relating to Easter” and comes from Pascha, a traditional name for the holiday. 

Did you know? The Church’s Paschal Full Moon and the actual Full Moon in the sky fall on the same date in 2027: March 22. See upcoming Full Moon dates using our Moon Phase Calendar.

For more on the connection between the Moon and Easter, see Easter and the Full Moon: Understanding the Paschal Moon Rule.

Full Moon reflected in water during early spring

Why Is Easter So Early in 2027?

Easter is unusually early in 2027 because the Full Moon that sets its date arrives almost as soon as spring begins!

Remember the basic rule: The Church uses March 21 as the start of spring for calculating Easter, and Easter falls on the Sunday after the next Full Moon. In 2027, that Easter Full Moon falls on March 22—just one day later!

Because the Full Moon arrives so early, Easter lands on the very next Sunday: March 28, 2027.

Is Easter Always in March or April?

Yes! Easter Sunday always falls between March 22 and April 25. Depending on where you live, Easter may arrive with the first spring bulbs—or when flowering trees and shrubs are already putting on a show.

Orthodox Easter follows a different calendar, so the holiday can fall in May. That’s the case in 2027, when Orthodox Easter is celebrated on May 2.

Easter crosses against a sunset sky

When Are Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, and Good Friday?

In the Western Christian calendar, the weeks leading up to Easter bring several important observances. Here’s when they fall in 2027 and what each one means.

Observance2027 DateWhat It Marks
Ash WednesdayFebruary 10The start of Lent and a day of fasting and reflection.
LentBegins February 10The traditional 40-day season of preparation before Easter.
Palm SundayMarch 21The Sunday before Easter and the start of Holy Week.
Good FridayMarch 26The Friday before Easter, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

And now you’ll know just when to dust off your hot cross buns recipe—a Good Friday tradition!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • When is Easter next year?

    Easter Sunday falls on March 28 in 2027. In 2028, Easter will be celebrated on April 16.

  • Is Easter always in April?

    No! Easter Sunday can fall in March or April, on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. In 2027, Easter arrives early, on March 28.

  • Why does Easter change every year?

    Unlike holidays with fixed dates, Easter follows the Moon and the arrival of spring. Its date is determined by the first Sunday after the Church’s Paschal Full Moon on or after March 21.

Easter
Sources
  1. U.S. Naval Observatory — The Date of Easter
  2. U.S. Census Bureau — Easter Dates from 1600 to 2099
  3. Ohio Journal of School Mathematics — The Mathematics of Easter

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann
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Comments

<span>Alya</span> Fri, 03/29/2013 - 16:21
I think you are mistaken. The Orthodox Church follows the Julian (aka Caesarean) calendar that went into effect in 45 B.C. The Gregorean calendar was established in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII because every 131 years, the Caesarean calendar was off with equinoxes and solstices by one day which affects the date of Easter. In 2013, according to the Gregorian calendar, Easter is Mar 31. Pascha (Orthodox Easter) according to the JULIAN (aka Caesarean)calendar is May 5th.
<span>Deadpixel</span> Thu, 03/28/2013 - 13:26
No, Greek Orthodox is not the only one. Romanian Orthodox does the same, in that it follows Gregorian and switches to Julian for Easter. Christmas is celebrated on December 25th.
<span>Zoran</span> Sat, 03/16/2013 - 13:42
Greek Churches in Greece celebrate Christmas on Jan 7 (Julian), while Greek Churches in USA celebrate on Dec. 25 (Gregorian).
<span>Athanasios Toma</span> Tue, 04/09/2013 - 17:13
I have to disagree with this comment. Christmas in Greece is celebrated on December 25th, it's a fact.
<span>Elena</span> Sat, 04/05/2014 - 18:51
if you are catholic greek then you are celebrating in 25 December
<span>Acstamos</span> Sun, 03/17/2013 - 04:10
That is not entirely the case zoram. The church of Greece celebrates Xmas on December 25. But, there in an orthodox church in Greece that follows the Julian calendar, and therefore celebrate Xmas on January 7.
<span>Theo The Great</span> Mon, 03/11/2013 - 00:46
The Greeks are great philosophers and discuss every point to minutia. i am puzzled why nott one thinking Greek Orthodox questions the inconsistency in setting Christmas according to one calendar and Easter according to another?
<span>Andy</span> Sun, 04/02/2017 - 13:54
The Greek Orthodox celebrate Xmas on December 25th as per Gregorian calendar. However, for Easter we go by the Book. "after the Passover of the Jews" it has nothing to do with the either calendars.but with literal translation of the Bible.
<span>Tt335I</span> Mon, 05/06/2013 - 20:15
Because you're confusing the ancient Polytheist Hellenistic "Greeks" with modern Christian Greeks. The honor of logic and philosophy belongs to the Hellenistic people, not the modern Greeks. The word "Greek" has become synonymous with the Ancient Hellenes, but that's due to a lack of understanding history. I believe that the use of the word "Greek" should only be used to describe modern Greeks and should not be confused with the ancient people of the region. The ancient hellenes called themselves by the city state they lived or were from. So, if you lived in Sparta you were a Spartan. If you were from Athens you were Athenian. The modern word "Greek" is a much later construct, and has wrongly been used to include the ancient Hellenes. It's now in common use, but there is a distinction with a difference, because the Hellenistic people did not call themselves "Greeks". Modern Greeks want this modern use of the word 'Greek' to also include the ancients as they want to be associated with that great culture. Remember the father in the movie "My big fat Greek wedding" and he believed everything comes from Greek?When in fact he was associating himself, a modern Greek, with the ancient Hellenistic culture that has major influence over modern western society. Many modern Greeks try to maneuver and explain that the modern word "Greek" comes from an the ancient word "Graeki", which is actually pronounced with the letter "G" as a "Y" sound like in "Yard". But, the word "Graeki" is an ancient Latin word used to describe all the people in the Hellene land. The ancient "Greeks" were not like modern Greeks even to the extent that they were Polytheists. Modern Greeks are Christians.
<span>George P</span> Sun, 03/03/2013 - 23:49
St. George is on April 23 not 25.