The church year
Everything in the calendar hangs off two fixed points: Christmas, which never moves, and Easter, which never stops.
The Church of England’s year begins on Advent Sunday, four Sundays before Christmas, and ends fifty-two weeks later with Christ the King. It is built from two cycles laid over each other: the fixed feasts hanging off 25 December, and the moveable ones hanging off Easter.
The seasons in order
| Season | Colour | Runs from | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advent | Purple | Advent Sunday to Christmas Eve | Gloria omitted; a restrained shape |
| Christmas | White or gold | 25 December to 5 January | Gloria restored; festal |
| Epiphany | White, then green | 6 January to the eve of Lent | Festal, then ordinary |
| Lent | Purple | Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday | Gloria omitted; Tract replaces the Alleluia |
| Holy Week | Red | Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday | The most closely shaped week |
| Easter | White and gold | Easter Day to Pentecost | Gloria back; Alleluia everywhere |
| Ordinary Time | Green | Trinity Sunday to the eve of Advent | The standard shape; Sundays numbered after Trinity |
| Kingdom season | Red or green | All Saints to Christ the King | The last four Sundays before Advent |
When Easter falls
Easter Day is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, which puts it anywhere between 22 March and 25 April. Everything from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost moves with it — a span of over five weeks from year to year.
| Year | Ash Wednesday | Palm Sunday | Easter Day | Pentecost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 February | 29 March | 5 April | 24 May |
| 2027 | 10 February | 21 March | 28 March | 16 May |
| 2028 | 1 March | 9 April | 16 April | 4 June |
| 2029 | 14 February | 25 March | 1 April | 20 May |
| 2030 | 6 March | 14 April | 21 April | 9 June |
| 2031 | 26 February | 6 April | 13 April | 1 June |
| 2032 | 11 February | 21 March | 28 March | 16 May |
| 2033 | 2 March | 10 April | 17 April | 5 June |
| 2034 | 22 February | 2 April | 9 April | 28 May |
| 2035 | 7 February | 18 March | 25 March | 13 May |
When Advent begins
Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is to say the Sunday nearest to St Andrew’s Day, 30 November. It falls between 27 November and 3 December.
| Year | Advent Sunday | Christ the King |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 29 November | 22 November |
| 2027 | 28 November | 21 November |
| 2028 | 3 December | 26 November |
| 2029 | 2 December | 25 November |
| 2030 | 1 December | 24 November |
| 2031 | 30 November | 23 November |
| 2032 | 28 November | 21 November |
| 2033 | 27 November | 20 November |
| 2034 | 3 December | 26 November |
| 2035 | 2 December | 25 November |
Questions
When does the church year begin?
On Advent Sunday, the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day — between 27 November and 3 December.
What are the seasons of the church year in order?
Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, then Ordinary Time after Trinity, ending with the Kingdom season and Christ the King.
Why does Easter move?
Easter Day is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, so it falls between 22 March and 25 April. Ash Wednesday, Ascension and Pentecost all move with it.