Easter Sunday in Sweden
Easter Sunday is a public holiday in Sweden and the day Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Swedish law places it on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March; church services and customs across the Easter weekend give the day its local character.[1][2]
A public holiday set by law
Sweden’s Public Holidays Act includes every Sunday as a public holiday, explicitly naming Easter Sunday. It also sets Easter Sunday by a lunar rule: it falls on the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or closest after 21 March. Easter Monday is separately designated as the day after Easter Sunday.[1]
The Act does not name a substitute day for Easter Sunday. Its status as a public holiday is a legal classification; the law does not specify each worker’s schedule or guarantee that every employee is off work.[1]
The Christian meaning
In Christian observance, Easter Sunday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion. It is the joyful high point of the Easter story, following the solemn remembrance of Good Friday.[2][3]
Swedish services and customs
Many people in Sweden begin the main Easter celebration on Easter Eve, Saturday. In the Church of Sweden, Easter night services carry the mood from Good Friday’s grief to Easter Sunday’s joy, with candles lit and worshippers exchanging the greeting “Christ is risen.”[2]
Easter tables may include eggs, pickled herring, salmon, Janssons frestelse, sweets and Easter soft drink. Eggs are associated with new life and also with the end of the pre-Easter fast. Lamb is served by some, but the Church of Sweden describes eating lamb at Easter as a relatively recent Swedish custom.[2]
Decorated birch twigs, called påskris, are a familiar Swedish Easter decoration. Children may dress as Easter witches and visit neighbors for sweets on Maundy Thursday or Easter Eve, depending on where they live. In western Sweden, some communities light Easter bonfires; the Church of Sweden connects the custom with older beliefs about driving away witches and evil.[2][3]
Planning around the holiday
The law establishes Easter Sunday’s public-holiday status but does not set opening hours for shops, banks or transport services. Since the day is always a Sunday, travelers should check directly with the offices, businesses and transport providers they plan to use for their holiday schedules.[1]
Easter Sunday in Sweden: FAQs
Is Easter Sunday a public holiday in Sweden?
Yes. Sweden’s Public Holidays Act includes Sundays, including Easter Sunday, as public holidays.[1]
When does Easter Sunday fall?
Swedish law defines it as the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or closest after 21 March.[1]
Does everyone get the day off work?
Easter Sunday is legally a public holiday, but the law does not set each employee’s work schedule. Check your employment terms or ask your employer.[1]
Are shops, banks and public transport open?
Opening hours and service schedules are not set by the Public Holidays Act. Check with the individual shop, bank or transport provider before travelling.[1]
Is Easter Monday also a public holiday?
Yes. The law names Easter Monday as the day after Easter Sunday and includes it among public holidays.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Easter Sunday in Sweden:
- Lag (1989:253) om allmänna helgdagar- Sveriges riksdag
- Hur firar vi påsk?- Svenska kyrkan
- Påsk | Lär dig mer om högtider- Nordiska museet