Semana Santa 2027, Holy Week in Spanish-speaking countries, runs from Palm Sunday on 21 March to Easter Sunday on 28 March 2027, with Holy Thursday on 25 March and Good Friday on 26 March.
This guide lists every date with its weekday, explains what Mexico’s Federal Labor Law says about days off, the SEP school break, what happens with banks and how the holiday works in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Brazil. Dates were calculated from Easter and checked on 11 November 2026 against the law, the SEP announcement and Mexico’s official gazette.
When is Semana Santa 2027: dates day by day
Semana Santa 2027 starts on Sunday 21 March with Palm Sunday and ends on Sunday 28 March with Easter. That makes Easter 2027 an early one: in 2026 it fell on 5 April, and in 2028 it falls on 16 April.
| Date 2027 | Day | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 10 February | Ash Wednesday | Lent begins, 46 days before Easter |
| Friday 19 March | Viernes de Dolores | Last Friday of Lent |
| Sunday 21 March | Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) | Holy Week begins |
| Monday 22 March | Holy Monday | Working day; SEP school break starts |
| Tuesday 23 March | Holy Tuesday | Working day |
| Wednesday 24 March | Holy Wednesday | Working day |
| Thursday 25 March | Holy Thursday (Jueves Santo) | Day off depends on the employer |
| Friday 26 March | Good Friday (Viernes Santo) | Day off depends on the employer |
| Saturday 27 March | Holy Saturday (Sábado de Gloria) | Easter Vigil at night |
| Sunday 28 March | Easter Sunday (Domingo de Pascua) | Holy Week ends |
| Monday 29 March to Saturday 3 April | Easter week (Semana de Pascua) | SEP school break continues |
Every date in the table was calculated with the Gregorian Easter algorithm and each weekday was checked against a calendar.
Why the date moves every year
Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, under the church rule. That is why it can fall anywhere between 22 March and 25 April, and Ash Wednesday, Holy Week and Carnival move with it. If you are also wondering about Carnival, the 2027 Carnival dates are Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 February.
Are Holy Thursday and Good Friday days off in Mexico?
No: Holy Thursday and Good Friday are not mandatory rest days in Mexico, because they are not on the list in article 74 of the Federal Labor Law. In 2027 they fall on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 March.
Whether you get them off depends on your employment contract, the collective agreement or your company’s internal rules. Many employers give them, but there is no legal obligation. If you work, the day is paid as a normal day, without the extra double pay that article 75 reserves for mandatory rest days.
Government offices each publish their own calendar of non-working days, so check it before planning any paperwork that week. The full list of official days off is in our guide to Mexico public holidays 2027.
Semana Santa 2027 and the 15 March long weekend
Monday 15 March 2027 is a mandatory rest day for Benito Juárez’s birthday, which the law moves to the third Monday of March. March therefore has two blocks close together: the long weekend from Saturday 13 to Monday 15, and a week later Holy Week. If your employer gives Holy Thursday and Good Friday, the second block runs from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 March.
SEP school break for Semana Santa 2027
The Semana Santa 2027 school break in Mexico’s basic education runs from Monday 22 March to Saturday 3 April 2027, according to the 2026-2027 school calendar published by the Secretaría de Educación Pública.
The official calendar calls it the second vacation period, and it covers all of Holy Week plus Easter week. Children in preschool, primary and secondary school get two weeks without classes, while for adults only Monday 15 March is a legal day off.
- Last school day before the break: Friday 19 March 2027.
- Break: Monday 22 March to Saturday 3 April 2027.
- End of the school year: Friday 9 July 2027.
Some states adjust the calendar with approval from their education authority, so check your state’s version. A month-by-month summary is in the Mexico school calendar 2026-2027.
Banks during Semana Santa 2027
Bank closing days for Semana Santa 2027 are not official yet: as of 11 November 2026, Mexico’s banking regulator, the CNBV (Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores), has not published its 2027 list of closing days.
The previous year is the best guide. The CNBV rules for 2026, published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 10 December 2025, include Thursday 2 and Friday 3 April 2026, which were Holy Thursday and Good Friday. If the same approach is kept, branches would close on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 March 2027, but that is only certain once the new list comes out, usually in December.
Until then, plan any in-branch banking for the week before Holy Week.
Semana Santa 2027 in other Latin American countries
In most of the region, Semana Santa 2027 brings legal public holidays, unlike Mexico. The dates are the same everywhere because Easter is shared, but the days off differ.
| Country | Days off in Semana Santa 2027 | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | None by law; Holy Thursday and Good Friday at the employer’s discretion | LFT, art. 74 |
| Argentina | Thursday 25 (non-working day) and Friday 26 (fixed holiday) | Ley 27.399 |
| Chile | Friday 26 and Saturday 27 March | Ley 2.977 |
| Colombia | Thursday 25 and Friday 26 March, not moved to Monday | Ley 51 de 1983 |
| Peru | Thursday 25 and Friday 26 March, national holidays | Legislative Decree 713, art. 6 |
| Brazil | Good Friday, 26 March (Sexta-feira da Paixão) | Law 9.093/1995 and federal ordinance |
Argentina: the longest break
In Argentina, Ley 27.399 makes Good Friday a fixed national holiday and Holy Thursday a non-working day, which each employer decides on. Because Wednesday 24 March is also a holiday (Day of Remembrance), many people get Wednesday 24 to Sunday 28 off. Details are in Argentina public holidays 2027.
Chile, Colombia and Peru
Chile has holidays on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 March, so the long weekend runs from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. In Colombia and Peru both Holy Thursday and Good Friday are days off, giving a four-day weekend from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 March. See Colombia public holidays 2027 and Peru public holidays 2027 for the rest of the year.
Brazil
In Brazil, Good Friday 2027 falls on 26 March and is listed as a national holiday in the federal ordinance issued each year; Law 9.093/1995 names it among the religious holidays. Easter is on a Sunday, so it adds no extra day. Check Brazil public holidays 2027 if you are crossing borders that week.
How to plan Semana Santa 2027
The simplest way to make the most of Semana Santa 2027 in Mexico is to book early, because the SEP break, the 15 March long weekend and the days many companies give off fall within two weeks of each other.
- Confirm your days off. Ask your employer about Holy Thursday and Good Friday before buying tickets.
- Book early. From Saturday 20 March to Sunday 4 April the school break and Easter weekend overlap, the busiest dates for buses, flights and hotels.
- Do your paperwork before. Until the CNBV publishes its 2027 list, assume banks may close on 25 and 26 March.
- Travelling around the region? Compare the days off in the table: four days in Colombia and Peru, three in Chile and up to five in Argentina.
Frequently asked questions
When is Easter 2027?
Easter 2027 is on Sunday 28 March 2027. Holy Week (Semana Santa) runs from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to Easter Sunday, with Holy Thursday on 25 March, Good Friday on 26 March and Holy Saturday on 27 March. It is earlier than in 2026, when Easter fell on 5 April.
Is Good Friday 2027 a public holiday in Mexico?
No. Good Friday, 26 March 2027, is not a mandatory rest day under article 74 of Mexico’s Federal Labor Law, and neither is Holy Thursday. Many employers still give both days off, but it depends on your contract or company rules. If you work, the day is paid at the normal rate.
When is the Semana Santa 2027 school break in Mexico?
The SEP spring break runs from Monday 22 March to Saturday 3 April 2027, according to the official 2026-2027 basic education calendar. The last day of classes before it is Friday 19 March. Some states may adjust their local calendar, so check with your school or state education authority.
Are banks open in Mexico during Holy Week 2027?
There is no official list yet. As of November 2026 the CNBV has not published its 2027 bank closing days; it usually does so in December in the official gazette. In 2026 banks closed on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, so plan branch visits for before Thursday 25 March 2027.
When is Palm Sunday 2027?
Palm Sunday 2027 is Sunday 21 March and marks the start of Holy Week. It falls seven days before Easter Sunday on 28 March 2027. The Friday before, 19 March, is Viernes de Dolores, the last Friday of Lent.
Which Latin American countries have Holy Thursday off in 2027?
Holy Thursday, 25 March 2027, is a day off in Colombia (Ley 51 de 1983) and Peru (Legislative Decree 713). In Argentina it is a non-working day that each employer decides on. Mexico, Chile and Brazil do not have it as a national holiday; Chile rests on Friday and Saturday, and Brazil only on Good Friday.
Cover photo: Raul Varela / Unsplash
