When does Holy Week 2026 start? Official holiday calendar according to the SEP

Families and guardians are already waiting for the exact dates to plan their schedules. Holy Week 2026 marks the beginning of the first extended school holidays of the academic year, as outlined in the official calendar of the Secretariat of Public Education. This religious celebration of significant importance in Mexico coincides with school breaks, allowing millions of students to enjoy a well-deserved rest.

Holy Week is the central commemoration of Christianity, covering the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the annual calendar, this holiday falls between March and April, starting with Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Sunday. It is important to know the exact start date of Holy Week in the school context to properly plan trips, recreational activities, or family commitments.

Exact dates of Holy Week in basic education

According to the official SEP calendar for the 2025-2026 school year, the vacation period for basic level students will begin on Monday, March 30, and end on Friday, April 10. This period fully covers Holy Week, which will run from Sunday, March 29, to Sunday, April 5.

With this schedule, approximately two full weeks of break will be available for preschool, elementary, and middle school students across most of the country. However, there is an important exception: students in Aguascalientes follow a different school calendar, so their vacation dates may differ from those established in the rest of the country.

The long weekend before Holy Week vacations

Before the official Holy Week holidays begin, an additional day is added to the school break. On Friday, February 27, there will be no classes in basic education, as this day is reserved for the meeting of the Technical School Council (CTE). This administrative session precedes the vacation break and allows teachers and school leaders to meet for academic and organizational matters.

Holy Week in the workplace: Is there a mandatory day off?

In the educational sector, Holy Week 2026 involves a scheduled and defined recess. However, the situation is different in the labor sector. The Federal Labor Law does not mandate that companies and private institutions suspend operations during Holy Week. The granting of days off during this period mainly depends on internal agreements between employers and employees.

Some organizations, particularly banks and government institutions, usually grant days off during Holy Week, although legally this is not obligatory. Therefore, each company sets its own policies regarding this matter according to operational needs and established agreements.