Fast Days
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Ember Days 2026 and 2027: dates and fasting rules
Ember Days are three days of fasting and prayer, a Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, kept four times a year at the turn of each season. Here are the exact dates for 2026 and 2027 and what the traditional rules ask of you.
Ember Days in 2026
| Season | Wednesday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lent (after the first Sunday of Lent) | 25 February | 27 February | 28 February |
| Pentecost (Whitsun week) | 27 May | 29 May | 30 May |
| September (after Holy Cross Day, 14 September) | 16 September | 18 September | 19 September |
| Advent (after St Lucy's Day, 13 December) | 16 December | 18 December | 19 December |
Ember Days in 2027
| Season | Wednesday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lent (Ash Wednesday is 10 February 2027) | 17 February | 19 February | 20 February |
| Pentecost (Pentecost Sunday is 16 May 2027) | 19 May | 21 May | 22 May |
| September (after Holy Cross Day) | 15 September | 17 September | 18 September |
| Advent (after St Lucy's Day) | 15 December | 17 December | 18 December |
Dates are computed from the Church calendar using the same engine as the Fast Days app: the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after the first Sunday of Lent, after Pentecost Sunday, after 14 September and after 13 December.
How the dates are fixed
The old mnemonic is Lenty, Penty, Crucy, Lucy. The four sets of Ember Days follow the first Sunday of Lent, Pentecost Sunday, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14 September) and St Lucy's Day (13 December). Two of the four move with Easter, so the Lent and Pentecost Ember Days change every year; the September and December ones always fall in the same week.
What the fasting rules require
Traditional rules (1917 Code of Canon Law)
- All three days are fast days: one full meal plus two smaller meals (collations) that together do not equal a full meal. The fast bound everyone from age 21 to 59.
- Ember Friday is a day of complete abstinence: no meat at all.
- Ember Wednesday and Ember Saturday are days of partial abstinence: meat is allowed only at the principal meal.
Modern rules (since 1966)
Paul VI's apostolic constitution Paenitemini (17 February 1966) removed Ember Days and most vigils from the list of obligatory fast days. Under current universal law the only obligatory fast days are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Ember Days remain a recommended, voluntary observance, and communities attached to the traditional Latin Mass still keep them.
Who is excused
The traditional fast never bound the sick, pregnant or nursing women, those doing heavy physical work, or anyone under 21 or over 59. If any of these apply to you, keep the days with prayer and a smaller sacrifice instead. Fast Days lets you record an exemption so its calendar and reminders adjust.
Why keep Ember Days?
Ember Days sanctify the four seasons and remind us that all time belongs to God. They are traditionally days of thanksgiving for the harvest and of prayer for priests and for those about to be ordained, since ordinations were historically held on Ember Saturdays. In a farming society they marked sowing, growing and reaping with gratitude and penance.
Never miss an Ember Day
Fast Days puts every fasting and abstinence day on a calendar for your phone, with a reminder on the morning it applies. Choose the modern rules, the traditional 1917 rules including Ember Days and vigils, or the historical strict practice.
Download Fast Days free on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
When are the Ember Days in September 2026?
Wednesday 16, Friday 18 and Saturday 19 September 2026.
Are Catholics still required to fast on Ember Days?
No. They have not been obligatory under universal Church law since 1966, but they are still encouraged and widely kept, especially by those who follow the traditional calendar.
What is the difference between Ember Wednesday, Friday and Saturday?
Under the traditional rules all three are fast days. Friday is complete abstinence from meat; Wednesday and Saturday allow meat at the main meal only.
Are Ember Days the same as Rogation Days?
No. Rogation Days are days of prayer and procession for the harvest (25 April and the three days before Ascension Thursday). They were never universal fast days.
Sources: 1917 Code of Canon Law, canons 1250 to 1254; Paul VI, Paenitemini (1966); Code of Canon Law (1983), canons 1249 to 1253. This page gives religious guidance, not medical advice.