When is Lent in 2026?

Lent in 2026 begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18, and ends at sundown on Holy Saturday, April 4. Easter Sunday falls on April 5, 2026.

Why does the date of Lent change every year?

Lent is anchored to Easter, and Easter is a moveable feast — the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox (March 21). Because that lunar date shifts, so does the start of Lent, always forty days (excluding Sundays) before Easter.

Is Lent 40 days or 46 days?

Both, in a sense. From Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday is 46 calendar days, but the six Sundays in that stretch are considered mini-Easters and are not counted as fasting days. Forty is the traditional number — mirroring Jesus' forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–2).

What is the spiritual meaning of Lent?

Lent is a season of preparation — of prayer, fasting, repentance, and almsgiving — that walks the Church toward the cross and the empty tomb. It is not about earning God's favor. It is about clearing space in the soul to receive again the mercy Christ has already won.

Do all Christians observe Lent?

Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and many other traditions observe Lent. Some evangelical and non-denominational churches do not formally observe it, though many individual believers still keep some form of Lenten discipline.

When is Lent? Dates, Meaning & How to Prepare

Lent in 2025 begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5, and ends at sundown on Holy Saturday, April 19, with Easter Sunday falling on April 20, 2025. Below you'll find Lent dates for the next several years, the meaning of the season, and a simple way to begin.

Lent Dates: 2025–2028

Year	Ash Wednesday	Palm Sunday	Good Friday	Easter Sunday
2025	March 5, 2025	April 13, 2025	April 18, 2025	April 20, 2025
2026	February 18, 2026	March 29, 2026	April 3, 2026	April 5, 2026
2027	February 10, 2027	March 21, 2027	March 26, 2027	March 28, 2027
2028	March 1, 2028	April 9, 2028	April 14, 2028	April 16, 2028

Dates reflect the Western (Gregorian) liturgical calendar observed by Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and most Protestant traditions. Eastern Orthodox Great Lent follows the Julian calendar and typically falls on different dates.

What Lent Is — and What It Isn't

Lent is a forty-day season of preparation that walks the Church from the ashes of repentance to the empty tomb of Easter. It mirrors the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry (Matthew 4:1–2, KJV): "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred."

The season is traditionally marked by three practices Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount — almsgiving, prayer, and fasting (Matthew 6:1–18). Lent is not about earning God's favor or performing piety for others to see. It is about clearing space in a crowded life so the soul can receive again the mercy Christ has already won.

Sundays are not counted in the forty days. Every Lord's Day, even in Lent, is a mini-Easter — a foretaste of the resurrection the whole season is walking toward.

The Shape of the Forty Days

Ash Wednesday — the door into the season. Ashes on the forehead confess our mortality and our need: "Remember, O man, that thou art dust."
Weeks 1–4 — the long middle. Fasting deepens. Scripture reading slows. A daily rhythm of prayer takes root.
Passion Week (Week 5) — the mood turns. The Gospel readings begin to move toward Jerusalem.
Holy Week — Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday. The Church walks slowly through the last days of Christ's life.
Easter Sunday — the fast is broken. He is risen. Alleluia.

A Simple Way to Begin

You do not need a complicated plan. Choose one thing to fast from (food, a habit, a screen), one thing to add (a daily scripture, a short prayer, an act of generosity), and one person to pray for by name every day of the season.

For a day-by-day guide from Ash Wednesday to Easter, walk through the Selah 40-day Lent Prayers and Reflections.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Lent in 2025?: Lent in 2025 begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5, and ends at sundown on Holy Saturday, April 19. Easter Sunday falls on April 20, 2025.
When is Lent in 2026?: Lent in 2026 begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18, and ends at sundown on Holy Saturday, April 4. Easter Sunday falls on April 5, 2026.
Why does the date of Lent change every year?: Lent is anchored to Easter, and Easter is a moveable feast — the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox (March 21). Because that lunar date shifts, so does the start of Lent, always forty days (excluding Sundays) before Easter.
Is Lent 40 days or 46 days?: Both, in a sense. From Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday is 46 calendar days, but the six Sundays in that stretch are considered mini-Easters and are not counted as fasting days. Forty is the traditional number — mirroring Jesus' forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–2).
What is the spiritual meaning of Lent?: Lent is a season of preparation — of prayer, fasting, repentance, and almsgiving — that walks the Church toward the cross and the empty tomb. It is not about earning God's favor. It is about clearing space in the soul to receive again the mercy Christ has already won.
Do all Christians observe Lent?: Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and many other traditions observe Lent. Some evangelical and non-denominational churches do not formally observe it, though many individual believers still keep some form of Lenten discipline.

Walk the Season with Selah

Begin the forty days with a scripture-rooted daily guide, a contemplative reading practice, or a guided prayer.

40 Days of Lent Prayers Lectio Divina Practice Begin a Guided Prayer

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), in the public domain. Dates are provided for pastoral planning; consult your local church for tradition-specific observance.