Good Friday (Passion of Christ): when it is in 2026 and 2027
Falling two days before Easter Sunday, Good Friday changes date every year. The Ministry of Management’s ordinance lists it as a national holiday (Passion of Christ), but the legal basis is Law 9,093, of 1995, which includes it among the religious holidays set by municipal law.
When is Good Friday
Next date
Calculating the next occurrence…
2026
- 3AprGood FridayFriday · long weekendReligious holiday, treated as a national holiday
2027
- 26MarGood FridayFriday · long weekendReligious holiday, treated as a national holiday
In 2026, Good Friday falls on April 3, two days before Easter (April 5), and opens a three-day long weekend, from Friday to Sunday. In 2027, the date comes on March 26, with Easter on March 28, and the holiday once again forms a three-day weekend.
How the date is set
The date changes because Easter does, and Good Friday always comes two days before it. RaisLife calculates Easter with the Meeus/Jones/Butcher algorithm and checks the result, along with the dates derived from it, against BrasilAPI for the years 2024 to 2030.
What the law says
Article 2 of Law 9,093, of September 12, 1995, establishes that religious holidays are the days of observance declared in municipal law, no more than four in number, including Good Friday. MGI (Ministry of Management and Innovation) Ordinance 11.460/2025 lists it as a national holiday for 2026.
The federal government treats it as a national holiday. For people who work that day, the collective agreement for their category and the city’s calendar apply, since federal law leaves religious holidays to municipal legislation.
What about people who work on the holiday?
Law 605, of 1949, prohibits work on civil and religious holidays, except where the company’s technical requirements make the work necessary, and guarantees the employee pay for the day (art. 8). When work cannot be suspended, article 9 requires the day to be paid double, unless the employer grants another day off. In retail in general, Law 10,101, of 2000 (art. 6-A), allows work on holidays as long as a collective bargaining agreement authorizes it and municipal legislation is observed. The specific rule depends on the worker’s category, and the collective agreement is the first place to check.
Keep in mind, too, that a long weekend and a bridge day assume a Monday-to-Friday workweek. People who work shifts, such as in retail and health care, may not get this time off, and the federal optional day off does not apply to the private sector.
What about holidays in my state and my city?
This page lists only the holidays national. State and municipal holidays vary by location: Law 9.093/1995 lets each state set its principal date, and lets each municipality declare the start and end days of its founding centennial year and up to four religious holidays, including Good Friday. To find out yours, check with your city hall or state government.
Sources
- Law 662/1949 (Planalto)
- Law 10.607/2002 (Planalto)
- Law 6.802/1980 (Planalto)
- Law 9.093/1995 (Planalto)
- Law 14.759/2023 (Planalto)
- MGI Ordinance 11.460/2025 (Federal Official Gazette)
- Law 605/1949, rest days and holidays (Planalto)
- Law 10.101/2000, art. 6-A (Planalto)
- BrasilAPI, date cross-check
Dates calculated by RaisLife (Easter using the Meeus/Jones/Butcher algorithm) and checked against BrasilAPI for the years generated (2024 to 2030); the classification of each date follows federal law and the ordinances of the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services. For information only: it does not replace consulting the law, your professional category’s collective bargaining agreement, or your state and city calendar.