First Day of Lent 2026


When is the First Day of Lent 2026?

The First Day of Lent 2026 is on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 (in 245 days).  Calendar for 2026
The First Day of Lent 2025 has already passed: it was on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 (104 days ago).  Calendar for 2025
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What is the First Day of Lent?

Lent celebrants participating in a street procession during Holy Week (in Granada, Nicaragua)Lent celebrants participating in a street procession during Holy Week (the final week of Lent).
The First Day of Lent is the beginning of the 40 day fasting period of Lent, or the Lenten season. It always falls on Ash Wednesday and occurs 46 days before Easter Sunday (there is no obligation to fast on the six Sundays in Lent). The earliest possible date it can occur is February 4, the latest possible date is March 10.

It is preceded by Fat Tuesday (also called Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras), the last day of feasting before the fasting of Lent begins. It occurs just after the excesses of two days of Carnival, which are celebrated in regions of Latin America and the Caribbean as well as Northern Europe. Some observant Christians conduct a full fast (complete fast or bread and water fast) during daytime on the First Day of Lent and only break the fast at sunset. A few continue fasting all through Lent.

It is a national public holiday in some countries (eg. Jamaica, Cayman Islands), a holiday for bank and/or government workers and some businesses in others (eg. Guadeloupe, Panama), and not a public holiday in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and other European countries (though some local observances may be held).

Why does the date of the first day of Lent change every year?

The dates of Lent depend on the date of Easter Sunday. Easter is a 'movable feast', which means that its date is not fixed in the calendar, but is instead calculated according to the lunar calendar, formalised in Ecclesiastical date tables. It is based on the date of the vernal equinox (March equinox). In AD 325 the Council of Nicaea decreed that Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox. The date of Easter Sunday can thus fall between March 22 and April 25, with the first day of Lent occurring 46 days before this date (consisting of 40 days of fasting and six Sundays counted as feast days, for a total of 46 days for Lent).

Further reading: Lent on Wikipedia

When is the First Day of Lent 2027?

The First Day of Lent 2027 is on Wednesday, February 10, 2027 (in 602 days).  Calendar for 2027

Dates for the First Day of Lent in other years

The next occurrence of the First Day of Lent is marked in red.

When is ...? Date      Day of the week      Days away     
First Day of Lent 2021      February 17, 2021      Wednesday      1581 days ago
First Day of Lent 2022      March 2, 2022      Wednesday      1203 days ago
First Day of Lent 2023      February 22, 2023      Wednesday      846 days ago
First Day of Lent 2024      February 14, 2024      Wednesday      489 days ago
First Day of Lent 2025      March 5, 2025      Wednesday      104 days ago
First Day of Lent 2026      February 18, 2026      Wednesday      in 245 days
First Day of Lent 2027      February 10, 2027      Wednesday      in 602 days
First Day of Lent 2028      March 1, 2028      Wednesday      in 987 days
First Day of Lent 2029      February 14, 2029      Wednesday      in 1337 days
First Day of Lent 2030      March 6, 2030      Wednesday      in 1722 days
First Day of Lent 2031      February 26, 2031      Wednesday      in 2079 days
Data provided 'as is' without warranty

First Day of Lent 2026
Dates of the First Day of Lent 2026 and surrounding years as downloadable image file

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Calendar templates 2026 for PDF, Excel and Word

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