Next: 2 May 2027
Fasika
Ethiopian Easter: after a 55-day Lent, an all-night service and a joyful meal of lamb and doro wat.
When is Fasika in 2027?
Fasika 2027 is on Sunday, 2 May 2027. Other years: 2026, Sunday, 12 April 2026; 2028, Sunday, 16 April 2028.
About Fasika
Fasika is the Ethiopian Orthodox Easter and ends Abiy Tsom, the Great Lent of 55 days, in which believers eat no meat or dairy. On Holy Saturday, churches fill with people in white, holding candles, for an all-night service of readings and chants led by priests and the church choir of debtera. Around midnight or at dawn, the service ends, and people go home to break the fast. The meal is festive: doro wat, lamb, injera, and the traditional drinks tella and tej, with family and neighbours. Sheep or chicken are bought in the markets days before. The mood is joyful. In Addis Ababa and across the country, people greet each other with "Melkam Fasika", happy Easter, and the festival continues for a few days.
Fasika dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Fasika date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, 12 April 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, 2 May 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday, 16 April 2028 |
What is eaten
- doro wat
- injera
- lamb
- tella
Also part of it, and being written: Abiy Tsom (The Great Lent.), Debtera (The lay cantors of the church.), Tella (The home-brewed beer.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Fasika" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.