Public holiday in Serbia
Orthodox Easter Day in Serbia
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Nationwide public holiday
Orthodox Easter Day is a nationwide public holiday in Serbia that marks the main feast of the Orthodox Christian calendar. In Serbia it is observed according to the Julian calendar used by the Serbian Orthodox Church.
About Orthodox Easter Day in Serbia
In Serbia, Orthodox Easter Day is the principal Easter observance for Orthodox Christians and a public holiday across the country. It falls after Good Friday and Holy Saturday in the Orthodox Holy Week sequence and is followed by Easter Monday, which is also commonly treated as part of the holiday period. For many people in Serbia, the day has practical importance even beyond church attendance because it is one of the major spring holidays in the national calendar. The timing changes from year to year, so families and travellers should check the annual date rather than assuming it matches Western Easter.
History
Orthodox Easter in Serbia follows the Easter date used by the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is calculated on the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar. The holiday has long been part of Serbian religious life through the Orthodox Christian tradition practiced by most of the population.
Traditions
The day is commonly associated with church services, greeting one another with "Hristos vaskrse" and the reply "Vaistinu vaskrse," and family gatherings after the Lenten fast. Red-dyed eggs are a familiar symbol of the feast in Serbia, and the first egg is often kept as a household emblem of Easter.
How Orthodox Easter Day is celebrated in Serbia
Many people in Serbia attend the midnight or morning Easter service, visit family, and share an Easter meal at home. In larger towns and cities, the holiday is generally quiet outside churches, homes and parks, with most of the public activity centered on family visits and church observance.
Interesting facts
Orthodox Easter Day in Serbia is followed by Easter Monday, extending the holiday period by another day. Because the date is based on the Orthodox calendar, it does not always совпide with Western Easter.
Dates in published calendars
| Year | Holiday date | Observed date | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 12 Apr 2026 | — | Nationwide |
Import sources
- Generic ICS feed
An import is not an independent verification.