Annunciation
Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos — Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in 2026.
The Archangel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of God. Falling nine months before the Nativity, it almost always occurs during Great Lent or Holy Week.
When is Annunciation in 2026?
In 2026 the feast falls on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. It is a fixed feast and keeps the same date every year on the New Calendar; Old Calendar parishes keep it thirteen days later on the civil calendar.
| Year | Date | Fasting that day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday, March 25, 2026 | Great Lent |
| 2027 | Thursday, March 25, 2027 | Great Lent |
| 2028 | Saturday, March 25, 2028 | Great Lent |
| 2029 | Sunday, March 25, 2029 | Great Lent |
Fasting on Annunciation
Although it normally falls in Great Lent, fish, wine and oil are permitted on the Annunciation — one of only two such days in the Fast, with Palm Sunday.
Fasting practice varies between jurisdictions, parishes and households — see the Orthodox fasting rules for the full picture and speak with your priest about your own rule.
See this feast in the calendar
Open the day itself for the saints, feast and fasting rule in full, browse March 2026, or see the whole of 2026.