Holy Week 2026: A Guide to Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter

Holy Week is the seven days before Easter, and each day carries specific meaning and observance in Christian tradition. Understanding the week requires knowing the story and understanding why Christians mark each day differently.

Palm Sunday (March 29, 2026) commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Crowds greeted him with palm branches and shouts of praise. By the end of the week, some of those same crowds would be calling for his death. The week begins with hope and ends with death.

Maundy Thursday (April 2) is when Christians remember Jesus' last meal with his disciples — the Last Supper. This is where communion or the Eucharist originates. Jesus broke bread and shared wine with instructions to remember him through this meal. The name Maundy comes from the mandate — the command to love one another that Jesus emphasized on this night.

Good Friday (April 3) is the day of the crucifixion. The name is paradoxical — it is called Good Friday because of the redemption Christians see in the death, even though the day itself is marked with solemnity and mourning. Many Christians fast or fast from meat on Good Friday. Services often include the Tenebrae (service of darkness) where candles are extinguished one by one to represent the darkness of Jesus' death.

Easter Sunday (April 6) is the Resurrection. Sunrise services are common because the Resurrection happened in the dawn. The day is marked with joy, celebration, and the proclamation of the Resurrection.

Churches that observe the full liturgical calendar also recognize days like Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Wednesday of Holy Week, each commemorating different events of Jesus' final week.

The week moves from triumph to death to resurrection. Understanding the arc helps you understand Christian hope.