Holy Week 2026 Begins with Palm Sunday This Weekend Holy Week 2026 starts on Palm Sunday, March 29, and culminates in Easter Sunday on April 5. This annual observance marks the final week of Jesus’s life as described in the Bible, with each day commemorating a key event leading to his crucifixion and resurrection. The 40-day Lenten period, which began on Ash Wednesday, concludes on Holy Thursday, April 2. Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, honors Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. According to the Gospels, he rode into the city on a donkey, with crowds laying down palm branches and cloaks to welcome him as a king. This event is detailed in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 21. Modern celebrations often include receiving palm branches or crosses at church services, symbolizing joy and reverence for Christ’s arrival. The Holy Week calendar for 2026 outlines the following days: Holy Monday (March 30): Marks Jesus’s cleansing of the temple, where he drove out merchants and declared it a “house of prayer.” Holy Tuesday (March 31): Recalls Jesus’s final teachings in Jerusalem, including his prophecy about the temple’s destruction. Holy Wednesday (April 1): Known as “Spy Wednesday,” this day commemorates Judas Iscariot’s agreement to betray Jesus to religious authorities. Holy Thursday (April 2): Also called “Maundy Thursday,” it honors the Last Supper, where Jesus shared his final meal with disciples, instituted the Eucharist, and predicted his arrest. Good Friday (April 3): Commemorates Jesus’s crucifixion, a central event in Christian theology. Holy Saturday (April 4): Marks Jesus’s burial in a tomb, as described in the Gospels. Easter Sunday (April 5): Celebrates Jesus’s resurrection, as recounted in the New Testament.#easter_sunday #holy_week_2026 #palm_sunday #lenten_period #holy_thursday
