When is Orthodox Easter?
In 2026, Orthodox Easter falls on Sunday, April 12, 2026. It is classified here as a Georgian public holiday.
History of Orthodox Easter
Orthodox Easter is the central feast of the Georgian Orthodox year and one of the most important dates in Georgia’s family and religious calendar. Its date changes annually according to the Orthodox Paschal calculation, and the Labour Code gives the feast a four-day public-holiday period from Good Friday through Easter Monday.
Easter turns church theology into domestic ritual. Midnight liturgy, red eggs, candles, visits to relatives and elaborate holiday tables all express the Resurrection in a tangible form. The date also carries a powerful sense of return: many people travel from cities to family homes or ancestral villages for the celebration.
In Georgia, the Resurrection greeting ‘Kriste aghdga!’ and response ‘Cheshmaritad aghdga!’ are among the feast’s most recognisable verbal customs. Red eggs traditionally recall Christ’s blood, while paska and other rich foods mark the end of the Great Fast. Cemetery remembrance belongs principally to the following Monday rather than replacing Easter Sunday’s Resurrection focus. Because Sunday is included by name in Article 30, it is a statutory holiday even though Sunday is already a normal rest day for many workers; no extra Monday is generated on that account.
How Orthodox Easter is observed
A nationwide statutory holiday on Orthodox Easter Sunday. Churches are very busy; many services and visitor sites use special holiday hours. Easter Sunday is statutory by name, but its Sunday occurrence does not generate an additional substitute day beyond statutory Easter Monday. Article 30 permits a different rest day instead only when it is determined by the employment agreement.
Traditions of Orthodox Easter
Midnight liturgy
Congregations gather late on Saturday and greet the Resurrection with candles and hymns. The Georgian Resurrection greeting, red eggs and paska connect parish worship with an unmistakably local family celebration after the long fast.
Red eggs
Dyed red eggs are exchanged and tapped in a familiar Easter game and blessing. The Georgian Resurrection greeting, red eggs and paska connect parish worship with an unmistakably local family celebration after the long fast.
Family table
Households share festive foods after the Lenten fast and visit relatives. The Georgian Resurrection greeting, red eggs and paska connect parish worship with an unmistakably local family celebration after the long fast.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Georgian legal and official guidance. Religious-calendar dates and local-service schedules should be confirmed against the annual official calendar.
History sources: Legislative Herald of Georgia: Labour Code, Article 30, National Parliamentary Library of Georgia: Public Holidays, Legislative Herald: Constitutional Agreement with the Georgian Orthodox Church.
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