Easter 2024, 2025 and 2026 in Rwanda

Easter is regarded as the most important holy day by Christians, and in Rwanda it is celebrated with two holidays on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2024	29 Mar	Fri	Good Friday
	1 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
2025	18 Apr	Fri	Good Friday
	21 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
2026	3 Apr	Fri	Good Friday
	6 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

The date of the holiday changes each year based on the centuries-old calculations that determine the Christian Ecclesiastical Calendar, such that the date of Easter Sunday can be anytime between 22 March and 25 April.

Even though Easter Sunday is the high-point of the season, it itself is not an official holiday because all Sundays are considered holidays anyway. Around 90 percent of the people of Rwanda are Christians, mostly Roman Catholics.

The Easter Vigil on the Saturday before Easter is key in Rwanda. Churches are heavily decorated with colourful “Kanga” fabrics that may have religious designs on them. Drums beat steadily and women give out an occasional high-pitched sound called “kigelegele”, even as congregational hymns are sung.

After the service, people may go outside of the church to engage in traditional Rwandan dancing. At home, they indulge in a delicious feast that breaks the Lenten fast that has been going on for 40 days. Not everyone observes Lent, but those who do appreciate the rich foods of Easter dinner even more.

Previous Years

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2023	7 Apr	Fri	Good Friday
	10 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
2022	15 Apr	Fri	Good Friday
	18 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
2021	2 Apr	Fri	Good Friday
	5 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
2020	10 Apr	Fri	Good Friday
	13 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
2019	19 Apr	Fri	Good Friday
	22 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
2018	30 Mar	Fri	Good Friday
	2 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday
2017	14 Apr	Fri	Good Friday
	17 Apr	Mon	Easter Monday