Good Friday Countdown
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Good Friday falls exactly two days before Easter Sunday and commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus in Christian tradition. It is a public holiday in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Germany, and many other countries. In the US it is not a federal holiday but is widely observed by Christian communities and some state governments. Because Easter is a moveable feast, Good Friday can fall anywhere between March 20 and April 23 depending on the year. This countdown calculates the date automatically from the Easter algorithm.
Good Friday marks the beginning of the Easter long weekend in countries where it is a public holiday — making it the first day of the most significant four-day holiday period of the year for much of the world. Travel, family visits, and event planning all hinge on knowing the exact date, which shifts by up to five weeks between years.
Two days before Easter, so it moves with it
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday, which means it inherits Easter's movement across five weeks — anywhere from 20 March to 23 April in the Gregorian calendar. It is not a fixed date and cannot be stored as one.
Orthodox churches computing Easter on the Julian calendar observe it on a different day in most years, sometimes weeks apart. A countdown has to declare which it follows; this one uses the Western date.
A public holiday in more places than people expect
The UK, most of Europe, Australia, Canada and much of Latin America treat it as a public holiday, while the United States does not federally — some states observe it and most do not. That asymmetry catches out anyone scheduling transatlantic work in spring.
Financial markets are the practical version of this: several close on Good Friday even where it is not a general holiday, which affects settlement timing that week.
Trading restrictions are the other surprise
Several countries restrict alcohol sales, shop opening or public entertainment on the day, and the rules vary considerably even between neighbouring jurisdictions. Some have relaxed substantially in recent years and others have not.
For anything being planned on the day — an event, a delivery, a booking — the local rules are worth a check rather than an assumption. This is one of the dates where practice differs most sharply between countries that otherwise look similar.
All of these move with Easter. Offsets are from Easter Sunday.
| Day | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Maundy Thursday | -3 days | — |
| Good Friday | -2 days | 20 March - 23 April |
| Holy Saturday | -1 day | — |
| Easter Sunday | 0 | The anchor |
| Easter Monday | +1 day | Public holiday in many countries |
| US federal status | Not a holiday | Some states observe it |
| Orthodox observance | Varies | Julian calculation |
- A public holiday across most of Europe, Australia and Canada but not federally in the US — an asymmetry worth checking.
- Several countries restrict alcohol sales, trading or entertainment, and the rules differ sharply between neighbours.
Sources
- Date derivation follows the Easter computus; holiday status and trading restrictions vary by jurisdiction and should be checked locally , TheTimerLab — accessed 2026-07-29