Easter lasts for a total of 50 days, from Easter Sunday until the Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Christ.  This year, 2024, Easter was on March 31 and runs until Pentecost Sunday, May 19. 

• Easter explained

The entire Easter season lasts 50 days and includes the solemnity of the Ascension of Christ, which falls on the 40th day of Easter, and ends with Pentecost, which is derived from the Greek word “pentecoste,” meaning “50th.” 

Ascensiontide begins the evening before the Ascension, with the first vespers of the feast, and ends the afternoon of the vigil of Pentecost — marking the first novena. There is seven full weeks after Easter Sunday! Indeed, for the purpose of fulfilling our Easter Duty (the requirement to receive Communion at least once during the Easter season),

“The 50 days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday are celebrated in joy and exultation as one feast day, indeed as one ‘great Sunday,’”. “These are the days above all others in which the ‘Alleluia’ is sung.”

“It celebrates Jesus’ victory of sin and death and salvation for mankind

• In the Traditional Roman Rite

In the traditional form of the Roman rite, Easter is known properly as Paschaltide, which includes three parts: the season of Easter, Ascensiontide, and the octave of Pentecost. It thus lasts one week longer than the Easter season in the calendar of the Missal of St. Paul VI.