Good Friday 2026
Good Friday 2026 falls on Friday, April 3, 2026.
What is Good Friday?
Good Friday is one of the few major holidays that doesn't sit on a fixed calendar date — it moves every year because it's calculated from the date of Easter Sunday, which is itself tied to the lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian one. In 2026, that calculation lands Good Friday on April 3, two days before Easter Sunday on April 5.
Where the tradition comes from
Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus in the Christian tradition, observed as a day of solemn reflection rather than celebration — a notable contrast to how most public holidays are treated. The date is set using the same formula that determines Easter Sunday itself: the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, a method formalized at the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE. That's why the date shifts by weeks from year to year rather than falling on the same calendar day.
Who observes Good Friday in 2026
Good Friday is a public holiday in a notably wide range of countries — including several, like the UK and Australia, where it functions as a bank holiday even though the underlying population isn't majority-practicing in the religious sense. It tends to be one of the more consistently observed Christian holidays on the civil calendar, likely because it's almost always paired with Easter Monday to create a four-day weekend.
Common questions
Why does Good Friday move every year?
Its date is derived from Easter Sunday, which follows a lunar calculation rather than a fixed calendar date, so both shift together from year to year.
Is Good Friday a bank holiday in the UK?
Yes — Good Friday is one of the UK's fixed bank holidays every year, regardless of the specific date it falls on.
What's the difference between Good Friday and Easter Monday?
Good Friday falls two days before Easter Sunday and marks the crucifixion in the Christian calendar; Easter Monday falls the day after Easter Sunday and is primarily observed as a civil public holiday in several countries, extending the Easter weekend.