Quick Facts
🇵🇭Philippines
Mar 29
Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week, commemorating Jesus's entry into Jerusalem. Churchgoers carry palm fronds in…
Holy Week (Semana Santa) 2026
March 29, 2026🇵🇭 Philippines
About Holy Week (Semana Santa)
Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week, commemorating Jesus's entry into Jerusalem. Churchgoers carry palm fronds in procession.
Travel Guide & Tips
What It Is
Semana Santa is the most solemn week in Philippine Catholicism, running from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are national holidays, and much of the country slows to a near-standstill — media, businesses, and traffic all quiet down.
Traditions
Highlights include the Visita Iglesia (visiting seven churches on Maundy Thursday), the Pabasa (a continuous chanting of the Pasyon), Senakulo passion plays, and Good Friday processions of life-size carrozas. In San Fernando, Pampanga, devotees undergo real flagellation and even voluntary crucifixion as acts of penance.
Good Friday to Easter
Good Friday and Black Saturday are the most reflective days, observed with silence and abstinence. Easter Sunday opens with the Salubong — a pre-dawn ritual re-enacting the meeting of the risen Christ and the Virgin Mary — followed by joyful Masses.
Travel & Logistics
Like Undas, Holy Week triggers a huge exodus from Metro Manila to beaches and home provinces — terminals and expressways are jammed for days. Many shops, banks, and restaurants close from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday, so plan errands and bookings well ahead.
Where to Celebrate
Tap a venue for directions.
San Fernando, Pampanga
Manila
A UNESCO-listed church and a classic stop on the Visita Iglesia route through Old Manila.
Hosts the principal Holy Week liturgies in the capital, including the Easter Salubong.
Key Details
Related Observances
Related Events in Philippines
Plan Your Time Off
Long weekends near this holiday — maximize your days off.
Eid'l Fitr
20–22 March 2026
Huwebes Santo
2–5 April 2026
Biyernes Santo
3–5 April 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Holy Week (Semana Santa) 2026?
- Holy Week (Semana Santa) 2026 is March 29, 2026 in Philippines.
- Is Holy Week (Semana Santa) a public holiday in Philippines?
- Holy Week (Semana Santa) is not an official public holiday in Philippines. Most businesses remain open, though tourism areas may be affected.
- How many days is Holy Week (Semana Santa) 2026?
- Holy Week (Semana Santa) 2026 lasts 1 day(s), from March 29, 2026.