Introduction
Easter Monday, March 29, 2027, extends the joy of the resurrection celebrated the day before. The Bible does not speak of this particular day, but it does recount how the risen Jesus appeared to his disciples in the days that followed. It is a day of tradition, and a public holiday in several European countries.
The day after Easter, many people enjoy a day off without knowing where it comes from. Should we look for a biblical meaning in it? This page answers honestly: it recalls the origin of the tradition, then leads you to what the Gospels tell, starting with the road to Emmaus, so that this Monday can nourish your faith.
Where does Easter Monday come from?
Easter Monday is not a biblical feast. The Bible says nothing about it: it is a Christian tradition. The early Church did not limit Easter to a single day and celebrated the resurrection for a whole week, which led to the idea of extending the feast to the day after Sunday.
This custom became a public holiday in several European countries, including France and Belgium. In 2027, it falls on March 29, the day after Easter on March 28. For believers, it remains an occasion to continue the celebration rather than closing the page of Easter quickly.
What does the Bible say about the days after the resurrection?
The Gospels do not describe one specific Monday, but they recount the first encounters of the risen Jesus with his disciples. These texts show a Jesus who is truly real: he walks, speaks, shares a meal, and lets himself be touched.
Luke 24:13-15
"Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem. They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened. While they talked and questioned together, Jesus himself came near, and went with them."
On the very day of the resurrection, two disciples leave Jerusalem for Emmaus, their hearts heavy. Jesus comes near and walks with them, though they do not yet recognize him. He joins those who go forward, discouraged, on their way. Read all of Luke 24.
Luke 24:31-32
"Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, then he vanished out of their sight. They said to one another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?"
At the meal, their eyes are opened and they recognize Jesus. They then remember the warmth that filled them as he explained the Scriptures: the Word of God had already touched their hearts. Read all of Luke 24.
John 20:19-20
"When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord."
On the evening of the resurrection, the disciples are shut in out of fear. Jesus stands among them, offers them peace, and shows them his hands and his side. Their fear turns into joy. Read all of John 20.
John 20:27-29
"Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed."
Thomas had doubted. Jesus does not reject him: he shows him his hands and his side. Then he blesses all who will believe without having seen, that is, us, who read this account centuries later. Read all of John 20.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6
"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep."
Paul sums up the heart of the Christian faith: Christ died, was buried, was raised, then appeared to hundreds of witnesses, many of whom were still alive when he wrote. The resurrection rests on living witnesses. Read all of 1 Corinthians 15.
1 Peter 1:3
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"
Peter gives thanks because the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives a new birth and a living hope. It does not concern only the past: it sustains our life today. Read all of 1 Peter 1.
Easter Monday and Easter Sunday: what is the difference?
Easter Sunday is the day of Jesus' resurrection: it is the heart of the Christian faith and the reason for the feast. The Gospels place the discovery of the empty tomb on that morning.
Easter Monday, for its part, belongs to tradition. It adds nothing to the event, but it extends the joy and reminds us that the resurrection is not an isolated day. It opens a new life, which the disciples lived in the days, then the weeks, that followed.
Easter Monday customs
Depending on the region, Easter Monday is an occasion for a family meal, an outing in the countryside, or an Easter egg hunt for children. These popular customs have nothing biblical about them, but they express in their own way a feeling of festivity that lasts.
You can enjoy them while keeping the essentials in mind: what makes this day joyful is that Jesus is alive, not the custom itself.
Common misconceptions about Easter Monday
The first idea is that Easter Monday is a biblical feast. It is not: no text establishes it, and it is better to say so plainly. The second idea is that it would be the day of the resurrection. The Gospels place the empty tomb on the first day of the week, that is, Sunday.
The third idea is that Easter would end on Sunday evening. In Christian tradition, on the contrary, the Easter season extends until Pentecost, May 16, 2027. Easter is not a single moment to tick off on the calendar, but the starting point of a season of joy.
How to live Easter Monday
Walk the road to Emmaus. Walk, alone or with family, and speak of Jesus with those who walk with you: what struck you at Easter, what the resurrection changes for you. The disciples rediscovered the taste of believing by talking along the way.
Share a meal with loved ones, and leave a place for someone who is alone: an elderly neighbor, or an isolated person from your church. Christ made himself known at the table.
Finally, reread Luke chapter 24 in full. Read it slowly, as a story that concerns you, and ask Jesus to open your eyes as he opened those of the two disciples.
Further reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the date of Easter Monday 2027?
Easter Monday 2027 is March 29, the day after Easter Sunday, which falls on March 28. The public holiday is observed in France, Belgium and several other European countries.
Why is Easter Monday a public holiday?
The early Church celebrated the resurrection for a whole week. The day after Sunday remained a day of celebration in Christian tradition, and it later became a public holiday in several European countries, including France and Belgium.
What happened the day after the resurrection?
The Gospels do not detail that particular day. They recount instead Jesus' encounters with his disciples on the day itself and in the weeks that followed: Emmaus, the room where Thomas doubts, then the witnesses Paul mentions.
Is Easter Monday in the Bible?
No, Easter Monday does not appear in the Bible. It is a Christian tradition that extends the Sunday feast. The Bible does, however, recount what Jesus did with his disciples after his resurrection.