Maundy Thursday 2027 falls on Thursday, March 25, 2027, for Western churches and Thursday, April 29, 2027, for Orthodox churches. It commemorates the Last Supper and begins the Easter Triduum at sundown.
Maundy Thursday 2027 falls on March 25, the usual date of the Annunciation, so the Catholic Church moves the Annunciation to Monday, April 5, 2027.
The two feasts meet on the same date only in years when Easter falls on March 28; the next time is 2032. At the 2027 Royal Maundy, King Charles III is expected to give Maundy money to 78 men and 78 women, matching the age he will be on March 25, 2027.
Maundy Thursday is a public holiday in 17 of Spain’s 19 regions and autonomous cities, but not in Catalonia or the Valencian Community.
Table of Contents
When is Maundy Thursday 2027?
Maundy Thursday always falls three days before Easter, so it depends on which Easter a church follows. The table gives both 2027 dates.
| Tradition | Maundy Thursday 2027 | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Western (Catholic, Anglican, Protestant) | Thursday, March 25, 2027 | Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday |
| Orthodox | Thursday, April 29, 2027 | Great and Holy Thursday |
The name “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning “commandment.” It refers to John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another,” spoken after Jesus washed the disciples’ feet.
Where is Maundy Thursday 2027 a public holiday?
Maundy Thursday is a national public holiday in more than 15 countries, mainly in Latin America and Scandinavia, but it is not a U.S. federal holiday.
The table lists countries where Thursday, March 25, 2027, is a holiday, according to Office Holidays.
| Region | Countries where March 25, 2027, is a public holiday |
|---|---|
| Nordic countries | Denmark, Iceland, Norway (plus the Faroe Islands and Greenland) |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua |
| South America | Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela |
| North America and the Caribbean | Mexico (widely observed; not a statutory rest day under federal labor law), U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Asia | Philippines; East Timor and Indonesia (government holiday); Kerala, India (regional) |
Sweden and Finland do not observe Maundy Thursday as a holiday, although Denmark and Norway do, according to The Local.
Maundy Thursday 2027 in Spain: region by region
In Spain, Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo) is a holiday in every region except Catalonia and the Valencian Community, which close on Easter Monday instead.
Spain’s regional governments set part of the annual holiday calendar, so the list can change from year to year.
| Holiday on Thursday, March 25, 2027 | Not a holiday on March 25, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Basque Country, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Ceuta, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarre | Catalonia, Valencian Community |
Royal Maundy 2027
At the Royal Maundy service, the British sovereign gives specially minted Maundy money to as many men and as many women as the sovereign’s age.
King Charles III, born on Sunday, November 14, 1948, will be 78 on Thursday, March 25, 2027. That makes the expected recipients 78 men and 78 women, and the silver coins in each white purse total 78 pence.
| Year | Date | Location | Recipients | White-purse value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, April 2, 2026 | St Asaph Cathedral, Wales | 77 men and 77 women | 77 pence |
| 2027 | Thursday, March 25, 2027 | Not yet announced | 78 men and 78 women (expected) | 78 pence (expected) |
Each recipient receives two purses. The red purse holds ordinary coinage, symbolizing the sovereign’s gift for food and clothing.
The white purse holds silver Maundy coins, which are legal tender but kept as keepsakes, according to Thez Royal Family.
Recipients are chosen for their Christian service to church and community. The 2026 service was the first held in Wales since 1982 (Royal Maundy 2026).
How Maundy Thursday is observed
Western churches hold an evening Eucharist commemorating the Last Supper, often with foot washing, and end it by stripping the altar.
Practice varies by tradition:
| Tradition | Main service | Distinctive practices |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Thursday, March 25, 2027 | Washing of feet; procession to the Altar of Repose; stripping of the altar; adoration until midnight; the Chrism Mass is held that morning or earlier in Holy Week |
| Anglican/Episcopal | Maundy Thursday Eucharist | Foot washing; stripping of the altar; overnight watch in some parishes |
| Lutheran and Methodist | Holy Communion service | Tenebrae or stripping of the altar in some congregations |
| Eastern Orthodox | Vesperal Divine Liturgy, Thursday, April 29, 2027 | The Twelve Passion Gospels are read that evening; Greek households dye red Easter eggs |
| Philippines (Catholic) | Mass of the Lord’s Supper | Visita Iglesia: visiting seven churches in one evening |
Maundy Thursday 2027 and the Easter Triduum
The Easter Triduum begins with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday, March 25, 2027, and ends with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday, March 28.
In Catholic practice, Lent ends at the start of that Mass. The Triduum counts as one liturgical celebration across three days: Maundy Thursday evening, Good Friday and Holy Saturday into the Easter Vigil.
Why the Annunciation moves off Maundy Thursday 2027
A solemnity that falls in Holy Week moves to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter, so the 2027 Annunciation is celebrated on Monday, April 5.
The USCCB 2027 liturgical calendar records the transfer. Orthodox churches do not transfer the Annunciation; Old Calendar churches keep it on Wednesday, April 7, 2027. The full list of 2027 transfers is in the Liturgical Calendar 2027.
Maundy Thursday 2027 vs. Passover 2027
Maundy Thursday 2027 falls 27 days before the first Passover Seder, although the Last Supper is often described as a Passover meal.
The Synoptic Gospels present the Last Supper as a Passover meal, while John’s Gospel places it before Passover. In 2027 the gap is especially wide: Western Easter falls early and Passover late, because the Hebrew year 5787 is a leap year.
| Observance | 2027 date |
|---|---|
| Maundy Thursday (Western) | Thursday, March 25, 2027 |
| First Passover Seder | Wednesday, April 21, 2027 |
| Holy Thursday (Orthodox) | Thursday, April 29, 2027 |
What Maundy Thursday 2027 is not
Maundy Thursday is often confused with related observances. The points below separate them.
- It is not a holy day of obligation. Catholics are not required to attend Mass on Maundy Thursday, though the Evening Mass is central to the Triduum.
- It is not a U.S. federal holiday. Schools and offices follow normal schedules unless they close for spring break.
- It is not Good Friday. Good Friday, March 26, 2027, commemorates the Crucifixion, the day after the Last Supper.
- It is not the Annunciation in 2027. The feast normally on March 25 moves to April 5.
Maundy Thursday dates 2026 to 2031
Western and Orthodox Maundy Thursdays coincide in 2028 and 2031. The table covers six years.
| Year | Western Maundy Thursday | Orthodox Holy Thursday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, April 2, 2026 | Thursday, April 9, 2026 |
| 2027 | Thursday, March 25, 2027 | Thursday, April 29, 2027 |
| 2028 | Thursday, April 13, 2028 | Thursday, April 13, 2028 |
| 2029 | Thursday, March 29, 2029 | Thursday, April 5, 2029 |
| 2030 | Thursday, April 18, 2030 | Thursday, April 25, 2030 |
| 2031 | Thursday, April 10, 2031 | Thursday, April 10, 2031 |
Frequently asked questions
What date is Maundy Thursday 2027?
Maundy Thursday 2027 is Thursday, March 25, 2027, for Western churches and Thursday, April 29, 2027, for Orthodox churches. It falls three days before Easter.
Is Maundy Thursday a public holiday?
Maundy Thursday is a public holiday in countries including Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Colombia, Peru and the Philippines, and in 17 Spanish regions. It is not a public holiday in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada or Australia.
How many people receive Maundy money in 2027?
In 2027, 78 men and 78 women are expected to receive Maundy money, matching the King’s age. King Charles III turns 78 on Sunday, November 14, 2026, and will still be 78 on Maundy Thursday, March 25, 2027.
