# Orthodox Fasting Calendar 2026

> Every Orthodox fast day in 2026 for the New (Revised Julian) and Old (Julian) Calendar: the four fasting seasons, the one-day fasts, the weekly Wednesday and Friday fast, the fast-free weeks, what each fasting symbol means, and free printable PDFs.

- Canonical page: https://www.orthodoxbible.app/orthodox-fasting-calendar-2026.html
- Publisher: Orthodox Bible App (https://www.orthodoxbible.app/)
- Updated: 2026-11-07

## Short answer

In 2026 the Orthodox Church keeps four fasting seasons: Great Lent from February 23 to April 11 (Pascha is April 12), the Apostles' Fast from June 8 to 28, the Dormition Fast from August 1 to 14, and the Nativity Fast from November 15 to December 24. Most Wednesdays and Fridays are fast days too. On the Old (Julian) Calendar, fixed-date fasts fall 13 days later, and the Apostles' Fast lasts until July 11. That adds up to 184 fast days on the New Calendar and 192 on the Old Calendar.

## Fasting seasons in 2026

| Fast | Length | New Calendar | Old Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lent and Holy Week | 48 days | Feb 23 – Apr 11 | Feb 23 – Apr 11 |
| Pascha (Orthodox Easter) | — | April 12 | April 12 |
| Apostles' Fast | 21 days (34 Old) | Jun 8 – Jun 28 | Jun 8 – Jul 11 |
| Dormition Fast | 14 days | Aug 1 – Aug 14 | Aug 14 – Aug 27 |
| Nativity Fast (St. Philip's Fast) | 40 days | Nov 15 – Dec 24 | Nov 28, 2026 – Jan 6, 2027 |

- Clean Monday (start of Great Lent): February 23, 2026. Lazarus Saturday April 4, Palm Sunday April 5, Holy Week April 6–11.
- Old Calendar: the 2025 Nativity Fast continues until January 6, 2026; Christmas is January 7, 2026.
- Feasts that end each fast: Pascha (Apr 12); Sts. Peter and Paul (Jun 29 New / Jul 12 Old); Dormition of the Theotokos (Aug 15 New / Aug 28 Old); Nativity of Christ (Dec 25 New / Jan 7, 2027 Old).

## One-day fasts in 2026

| Fast day | New Calendar | Old Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Eve of Theophany | Jan 5 | Jan 18 |
| Beheading of St. John the Baptist | Aug 29 | Sep 11 |
| Exaltation of the Holy Cross | Sep 14 | Sep 27 |
| Christmas Eve | Dec 24 | Jan 6 |

No meat, dairy, eggs or fish on these days.

## Fast-free weeks in 2026

| No fasting | New Calendar | Old Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas to Theophany Eve | Dec 25 – Jan 4 | Jan 7 – Jan 17 |
| Week of the Publican and the Pharisee | Feb 2 – Feb 7 | Feb 2 – Feb 7 |
| Cheesefare Week (no meat; dairy, eggs and fish allowed) | Feb 16 – Feb 22 | Feb 16 – Feb 22 |
| Bright Week | Apr 13 – Apr 18 | Apr 13 – Apr 18 |
| Trinity Week | Jun 1 – Jun 6 | Jun 1 – Jun 6 |

## The weekly fast

Outside the fast-free weeks, Orthodox Christians fast every Wednesday (the betrayal of Christ) and Friday (the Crucifixion). From Thomas Sunday (April 19) to Pentecost (May 31), the weekly fast is lighter, with wine and oil or fish allowed.

## How many fast days are in 2026?

| Fast days in 2026 | New Calendar | Old Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| The four fasting seasons | 123 | 136 |
| Other Wednesdays and Fridays | 58 | 53 |
| One-day fasts | 3 | 3 |
| **Total** | **184** | **192** |

Counts every day with a fasting rule, from strict fast to fish allowed. The Old Calendar season total includes January 1–6 (end of the 2025 Nativity Fast). Cheesefare Week is not included.

## Fasting symbols and rules

- Cross: strict fast. No meat, fish, dairy, eggs, olive oil or wine.
- Grapes: wine and oil allowed. No meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Fish: fish, oil and wine allowed. No meat, dairy or eggs.
- Dairy: dairy, eggs, fish, oil and wine allowed. Only meat is set aside.
- No symbol: fast-free. All foods allowed.

What can you eat on a fast day? Vegetables, fruit, bread, rice, pasta and other grains, beans, lentils and chickpeas, nuts and seeds, mushrooms, honey, coffee and tea. In most traditions, shellfish such as shrimp, squid and octopus are allowed too. Set aside: meat and poultry, dairy and eggs, and fish except on fish days; on strict days, olive oil and wine as well.

Fasting practice differs between jurisdictions and parishes. Children, older people, pregnant or nursing mothers and anyone who is ill usually keep a lighter fast. Follow your parish calendar and ask your priest.

## Which calendar each church follows

| Church | Calendar | Nativity Fast 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Greek Orthodox (Ecumenical Patriarchate, Greece, Cyprus, Alexandria, Greek Orthodox Archdioceses of America and Australia) | New | Nov 15 – Dec 24 |
| Antiochian Orthodox | New | Nov 15 – Dec 24 |
| Romanian and Bulgarian Orthodox | New | Nov 15 – Dec 24 |
| Orthodox Church in America (most parishes) | New | Nov 15 – Dec 24 |
| Orthodox Church of Ukraine (since 2023) | New | Nov 15 – Dec 24 |
| Russian Orthodox (including ROCOR) | Old | Nov 28 – Jan 6 |
| Serbian Orthodox | Old | Nov 28 – Jan 6 |
| Georgian Orthodox, Jerusalem, Mount Athos | Old | Nov 28 – Jan 6 |
| Finnish Orthodox (Pascha on the Western date, April 5, 2026) | New | Nov 15 – Dec 24 |

This calendar covers the Eastern Orthodox Churches. The Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Armenian and Syriac Orthodox Churches (Oriental Orthodox) keep different fasts.

## 2026 month by month (New Calendar)

- January: fast-free days after Christmas; January 5 (Eve of Theophany) is a strict fast; Theophany January 6.
- February: Triodion begins Feb 1; Feb 2–7 fast-free; Cheesefare Week Feb 16–22 (meat only set aside); Great Lent begins Clean Monday, Feb 23.
- March: all Great Lent; strict fast on weekdays, wine and oil on weekends; fish on the Annunciation, March 25.
- April: Great Lent ends April 3; Lazarus Saturday April 4; Palm Sunday (fish) April 5; Holy Week April 6–11; Pascha April 12; Bright Week fast-free.
- May: Paschal season, wine and oil on Wednesdays and Fridays; fish on Mid-Pentecost (May 6) and the Leave-taking of Pascha (May 20); Ascension May 21; Pentecost May 31.
- June: Trinity Week June 1–6 fast-free; Apostles' Fast June 8–28; Sts. Peter and Paul June 29.
- July: no fasting season; Wednesday and Friday fast only.
- August: Dormition Fast August 1–14, fish on the Transfiguration (August 6); Beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29) is a fast day.
- September: Church New Year September 1; Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) is a strict fast.
- October: no fasting season; Protection of the Theotokos October 1.
- November: Nativity Fast begins November 15; in Greek practice fish is allowed on most days except Wednesdays and Fridays.
- December: Nativity Fast continues; December 21–24 strict; Christmas December 25.

## 2026 month by month (Old Calendar)

- January: Nativity Fast until January 6; Christmas January 7; January 7–17 fast-free; January 18 (Eve of Theophany) fast; Theophany January 19.
- February: Feb 2–7 fast-free; Meeting of the Lord on Meatfare Sunday, Feb 15; Cheesefare Week Feb 16–22; Great Lent begins Feb 23.
- March: all Great Lent.
- April: Great Lent ends April 3; Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday (April 4–5) fish days; Annunciation April 7; Pascha April 12; Bright Week fast-free.
- May: fish on Wednesdays and Fridays in the Paschal season; Ascension May 21; Pentecost May 31.
- June: Trinity Week June 1–6 fast-free; Apostles' Fast begins June 8.
- July: Apostles' Fast until July 11; Sts. Peter and Paul July 12.
- August: Dormition Fast August 14–27; fish on the Transfiguration, August 19; Dormition August 28.
- September: Beheading of St. John the Baptist (September 11) and Exaltation of the Cross (September 27) are fast days.
- October: fish on the Protection of the Theotokos, October 14.
- November: Nativity Fast begins November 28.
- December: whole month in the Nativity Fast; fish on the Entry of the Theotokos (December 4) and most weekends; fast continues until January 6, 2027.

## Printable PDFs

- New Calendar PDF (13 pages): https://www.orthodoxbible.app/images/calendar/orthodox_fasting_calendar_2026/orthodox-fasting-calendar-2026-new-calendar.pdf
- Old Calendar PDF (13 pages): https://www.orthodoxbible.app/images/calendar/orthodox_fasting_calendar_2026/orthodox-fasting-calendar-2026-old-calendar.pdf

Each has a cover and one page per month with the fasting symbol, saints and daily Epistle and Gospel readings for every day.

## Looking ahead: 2027

Great Lent 2027 begins on Clean Monday, March 15, 2027. Orthodox Pascha 2027 is May 2 (Western Easter is March 28). These dates are the same on both calendars.

## Fasting calendar app

The free Orthodox Bible App shows today's fast, saints and readings for the New or Old Calendar, with reminders for fast and feast days: https://orthodoxbible.app.link/SkGIGeuMw1b