The Easter Season is the most sacred period of the Catholic liturgical year. Fifty days that the Church lives as if they were one single great Sunday—one feast extended over time, beginning with the Easter Vigil and culminating at Pentecost.
It is not the period after Easter. It is Easter itself, unfolded in all its depth. From the burst of light of the Easter Vigil to the fire of the Spirit at Pentecost, the Church lives immersed in the mystery of life that does not die.
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What Is the Easter Season?
The Easter Season is the fifty-day period that begins on Easter Sunday and culminates with the solemnity of Pentecost. Patristic tradition calls it the “great Sunday”: a fifty-day celebration observed with joy and jubilation as if it were a single feast day.
Its theological foundation is Christ’s victory over death. The Second Vatican Council teaches that Jesus Christ accomplished the work of redemption chiefly through his Paschal Mystery: by dying, he destroyed death; by rising, he restored life. The Easter Season is the extension of that joy in the Church’s calendar.
When does the Easter Season begin and when does it end? It begins with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday and ends with Vespers on Pentecost Sunday, fifty days later.
What is the liturgical color of the Easter Season? White or gold, a symbol of Christ’s glory, purity, and the new life received in baptism. The only exception is Pentecost, when the color changes to red, representing the tongues of fire of the Holy Spirit.
The distinctive signs of the Easter Season
The Easter liturgy speaks through the senses. Each sign communicates an invisible reality.
- The Paschal Candle
It is the most visible sign of the entire season. Lit from the new fire at the Easter Vigil, it represents the risen Christ who dispels the darkness of death. It remains in the sanctuary for the fifty days and is lit at all major liturgical celebrations. When Pentecost ends, the candle is moved to the baptistery, where it will accompany baptisms and funerals: the light of Easter continues to illuminate the lives of Christians through the sacraments.
- The Alleluia
The word the Church fell silent on for forty days of Lent returns with full force in the Easter Season. It means “praise God” and is the song of Christ’s victory over death. It resounds in the Gospel, in the antiphons of the Mass, and in the Divine Office throughout the fifty days.
- The Gloria
Omitted on the Sundays of Lent, the Gloria hymn returns solemnly on all Sundays and feasts of the Easter Season.
- The readings
During these fifty days, the first reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles—the birth of the Church—and the Gospel is always from Saint John, for its profound theology on new life in Christ.
The 50 days of the Easter Season
Easter Sunday and the Octave of Easter
Easter Sunday is the “Solemnity of solemnities,” the center of the entire liturgical year. The following eight days form the Octave of Easter, in which each day is celebrated with the same rank as Sunday, as the joy of the Resurrection is prolonged.
Second Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy
The second Sunday is also known as Dominica in Albis—the Sunday on which those newly baptized at the Easter Vigil would lay aside their white garments to join the assembly of the faithful. John Paul II designated it as Divine Mercy Sunday at the canonization of Saint Faustina Kowalska on April 30, 2000.
The Gospel of this day (Jn 20:19–31) recounts Jesus’ appearance to the apostles and Thomas’s disbelief. The choice is not accidental: the first act of the risen Christ before his apostles was to breathe on them and give them the power to forgive sins. Mercy is the direct fruit of Easter.
Third Sunday of Easter: the disciples of Emmaus
In Cycle A—corresponding to 2026—the Gospel presents the encounter of the disciples of Emmaus with the Risen One (Lk 24:13–35). Jesus walks alongside two disciples who do not recognize him, explains the Scriptures, and makes himself known in the breaking of the bread. It is one of the most beloved accounts in Christian tradition: it shows that Christ walks today alongside his Church and is made present in the Word and in the Eucharist.
Fourth Sunday of Easter: the Good Shepherd
The fourth Sunday is universally known as Good Shepherd Sunday. Jesus presents himself as the shepherd who knows his sheep, calls them by name, and lays down his life for them (Jn 10:1–10). Since the time of Paul VI, this Sunday has also been the World Day of Prayer for Vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.
Fifth Sunday of Easter: the way, the truth, and the life
The theme centers on Jesus’ identity as the sole mediator. In John 14:1–12, Jesus states: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”. The second reading (1 Pt 2:4–9) presents the faithful as “living stones” destined to build a spiritual temple and to form a holy priesthood.
Sixth Sunday of Easter: the promise of the Spirit
As Pentecost approaches, the liturgy prepares the faithful for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises to send the Paraclete—the Consoler—who will remain with his disciples forever. The doctrine of divine indwelling is revealed: whoever loves Jesus and keeps his word, the Most Holy Trinity will dwell within them.
Seventh Sunday of Easter: the priestly prayer
The last Sunday before Pentecost presents Jesus’ priestly prayer in John 17: Christ’s plea to the Father for the unity of all believers. It is a time of active waiting, like that lived by the apostles and Mary in the Upper Room before the outpouring of the Spirit.
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Forty days after the Resurrection, the Church celebrates Christ’s Ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Its theological meaning is profound: Christ’s humanity enters definitively into the glory of God. The Ascension is “our victory”—the one who is our head has gone up to heaven to prepare a place for us.
In 2026, the Ascension falls on Thursday, May 14, but in episcopal conferences such as those of Spain, Mexico, and most of Latin America it is transferred to Sunday, May 17.
Solemnity of Pentecost: the seal of Easter
Pentecost—from the Greek “fiftieth day”—brings the Easter Season to a close. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and the Virgin Mary, the birth of the Church, and the beginning of its universal mission.
The gift of the Holy Spirit is the principal fruit of Christ’s Resurrection. Therefore, Pentecost is not an ending but a fullness: Easter reaches its fulfillment when the Spirit is poured out upon the Church to make her a witness to Christ to the ends of the earth.
- You might be interested in: 7 Holy Places to See in Jerusalem
Popular devotion in the Easter Season
The Regina Coeli
From Easter Sunday until Pentecost, the Angelus prayer is replaced by the Marian antiphon Regina Coeli—Queen of Heaven. It is a greeting to the Virgin Mary on the Resurrection of her Son. It is prayed standing—sign of Christ’s victory—and was established for the entire Easter Season by Pope Benedict XIV in 1742.
- You may be interested in: The Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium of Oviedo.
The Via Lucis
Unlike the Via Crucis, which meditates on the Passion, the Via Lucis follows fourteen stations that celebrate the joy of the Risen One’s encounters with his disciples. It is the devotion proper to the Easter Season:
- Jesus rises from the dead (Mt 28:1–7)
- The disciples find the empty tomb (Jn 20:1–8)
- Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (Jn 20:14–18)
- Jesus appears to the women (Mt 28:8–10)
- Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13–35)
- Jesus is recognized in the breaking of the bread (Lk 24:30–35)
- Jesus appears to the Eleven (Lk 24:36–40)
- Jesus grants the power to forgive sins (Jn 20:19–23)
- Jesus strengthens Thomas’s faith (Jn 20:24–29)
- Jesus appears by the Sea of Tiberias (Jn 21:1–14)
- Jesus entrusts his flock to Peter (Jn 21:15–19)
- Jesus sends the disciples to the whole world (Mt 28:16–20)
- Jesus ascends into Heaven (Acts 1:1–11)
- The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4)
- You may be interested in: The Holy Sudarium
Liturgical norms specific to the Easter Season
- Easter Communion
Every Catholic is obliged to receive the Eucharist at least once during the Easter Season—the precept known as “receiving Communion at Easter”—and to confess grave sins at least once a year.
- Weddings
They may be celebrated throughout the Easter Season. However, on the Sunday within the Octave of Easter, ritual Masses for marriage are not permitted at the community’s principal celebration.
- Funerals
Masses for the dead are prohibited during the Paschal Triduum and on the Sundays of Easter. The Paschal Candle must be placed next to the coffin at the funeral rites, indicating that the Christian’s death is their own participation in Christ’s Passover.
- Saints
The Sundays of Easter take precedence over all feasts or memorials of saints. If a solemnity coincides with an Easter Sunday, it is anticipated to the preceding Saturday.
Do you want to live the Easter Season with fervor? Here are some articles that may help you do so:
- Jewish Passover and Catholic Easter: What is the difference between Jewish Passover and Catholic Easter? Discover their common origin, the symbolism of the Paschal Lamb, and the difference in dates.
- The 6 Apparitions of Easter Sunday: Learn about the apparitions of the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday.
- 3 Images of Divine Mercy: What does the image of Divine Mercy represent? Discover its history, the meaning of its rays, and the three paintings that shaped its origin.
What Is the Easter Season?
The Easter Season is the fifty-day period from Easter Sunday to Pentecost. It is the most sacred time of the Catholic liturgical year, in which the Church celebrates Christ’s victory over death with joy, the singing of the Alleluia, the Paschal Candle lit, and readings from the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of John.
How many Sundays are there in the Easter Season?
The Easter Season has seven Sundays: Easter Sunday and the Second through Seventh Sundays of Easter, and it culminates with Pentecost.
When does the Easter Season end?
The Easter Season ends with Vespers on Pentecost Sunday, fifty days after Easter Sunday. In 2026, Pentecost falls on May 24.
What is Eastertide and how long does it last?
Eastertide is the joyful period that follows the Resurrection.
What is prayed instead of the Angelus during the Easter Season?
During the Easter Season, the Regina Coeli—Queen of Heaven—is prayed instead of the Angelus. It is a Marian antiphon that greets the Virgin Mary on the Resurrection of her Son. It is prayed standing as a sign of Christ’s victory.
What is the Via Lucis?
The Via Lucis is a popular devotion proper to the Easter Season, recognized by the Vatican, that follows fourteen stations meditating on the encounters of the risen Christ with his disciples. It is the Easter complement to the Via Crucis: where the Via Crucis meditates on the Passion and death, the Via Lucis celebrates the Resurrection and new life.
What does it mean to receive Communion at Easter?
It is the Church precept that obliges every Catholic to receive the Eucharist at least once during the Easter Season. Together with annual confession, it is one of the commandments of the Church. Fulfilling it ensures that the faithful participate in the central mystery of the faith at its most significant time of the year.
Where can I find Easter Season Masses near me?
The Mass Times app allows you to locate nearby Catholic churches and check Mass, confession, and adoration times in real time.
