When is Holy Thursday?
In 2026, Holy Thursday falls on Thursday, April 2, 2026. It is a Costa Rican statutory holiday with mandatory pay under Article 148 of the Labour Code.
History of Holy Thursday
Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper and opens the central part of Costa Rica’s Semana Santa. Catholic parishes hold services and vigils, while many families begin a long weekend of travel, reunion and rest.
The holiday reflects two rhythms at once. In some towns, processions and church worship set the pace; elsewhere, families leave the Central Valley for beaches, national parks or relatives. Both belong to the lived experience of Holy Week.
Holy Thursday is listed as a statutory holiday with mandatory pay in Article 148. Public-sector vacation arrangements can be longer, but those additional days are not the same as statutory holidays for every worker.
Foodways also distinguish Costa Rican Semana Santa. Cultural authorities document meatless and preserved dishes such as bacalao or other fish, encurtidos, tamales mudos, rosquillas and sweets made with chiverre or fruit. Not every household prepares the same menu, but those recipes show how religious abstinence, seasonal ingredients and knowledge passed through families meet during the week.
How Holy Thursday is observed
Holy Thursday is a statutory holiday with mandatory pay. Churches begin the central Holy Week liturgies, while many families travel, gather or prepare traditional meatless foods.
Traditions of Holy Thursday
Church services
Catholic parishes and other Christian communities shape the day through worship, music and prayer. The form of observance differs between neighborhoods and families.
Family meals
Relatives gather at home or in restaurants to share seasonal food and unhurried conversation. Menus and the scale of the gathering are personal rather than prescribed.
Travel and visiting
People use the holiday to see relatives, return to a hometown or visit beaches and rural communities. Transport and opening hours can be especially busy.
Local celebrations
Parishes, schools and municipalities add their own processions, music or cultural events, making the same national date feel different from one place to another.
Holy Week kitchens
Families may prepare fish, encurtidos, tamales mudos, rosquillas or chiverre sweets, preserving recipes associated with abstinence and the Easter season.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Costa Rica Ministry of Labour holiday guidance. Pay treatment depends on the worker’s pay modality; public-sector vacation directives and employer schedules may differ.
History sources: Costa Rica Ministry of Labour: public-holiday guidance, Costa Rica Ministry of Culture: Holy Week culinary traditions.
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