Holiday Details
- Holiday Name
- Holy Saturday
- Country
- New Zealand
- Date
- April 4, 2026
- Day of Week
- Saturday
- Status
- 91 days away
- Weekend
- Falls on weekend
- About this Holiday
- Holy Saturday is the day before Easter Sunday.
Holy Saturday
New Zealand • April 4, 2026 • Saturday
91
Days
07
Hours
25
Mins
36
Secs
until Holy Saturday
Pacific/Auckland timezone
About Holy Saturday
Also known as: Holy Saturday
Te Rāhoroi Tapu i Aotearoa: He Aratohu Matawhānui
Ko te Rāhoroi Tapu, e mōhiotia ana hoki ko te Rāhoroi Aranga, he rā whakahirahira i roto i te maramataka Karaitiana puta noa i te ao, ā, he kōrero motuhake tōna i roto i te horopaki o Aotearoa. Koinei te rā i waenga i te rā o te ripekatanga o Ihu Karaiti (te Paraire Pai) me te rā o tōna aranga ake i te hunga mate (te Rātapu Aranga). Mo te hunga whakapono, he rā whakatau tēnei, he rā tatari, he rā hoki e maumaharatia ana te tūpāpaku o Ihu e takoto ana i roto i te rua.
I Aotearoa, he rā tēnei e whakakotahi ana i te whakapono, te whānau, me te takatu mō te hararei roa o te Aranga. Ahakoa ehara i te rā whakatā ā-ture pēnei i te Paraire Pai, i te Rāhina Aranga rānei, he tūnga motuhake tōna i roto i te huringa o te wiki. He wā tēnei e kite ai tātou i te huringa o te wā i te ngahuru, e mātao haere ana te hau, ā, e huihui ana ngā whānau ki te whakatā i mua i te hokinga ki te mahi, ki te kura rānei. He rā āhua puku tēnei mō te tini, engari he rā pukumahi mō ngā hokomaha me ngā toa i te mea koinei te rā kotahi i waenga i ngā rā e rua e rāhuitia ana te hokohoko (te Paraire me te Rātapu).
He rā whakaaroaro te Rāhoroi Tapu mō te 37 paiheneti o te taupori o Aotearoa e kī ana he Karaitiana rātou. Ahakoa kei te heke haere te maha o te hunga haere whare Karakia, kei te mau tonu te hohonu o te tikanga o tēnei rā i roto i ngā hāhi Katorika, Mitinare (Anglican), me ētahi atu peka o te Karaitiana i roto i te motu. He wā tēnei mō te noho puku, te inoi, me te tumanako. I waho atu o te whare karakia, he rā tēnei mō te hunga e pai ana ki te haere ki te taha moana, ki te ngahere rānei mō te wā whakamutunga i mua i te taenga mai o te takurua.
Āhea te Rāhoroi Tapu i te tau 2026?
I te tau 2026, ka tū te Rāhoroi Tapu i te:
Rā: Saturday Rā rangi: April 4, 2026 Te maha o ngā rā e toe ana: 91 rā
He rā taurangi te rā o te Rāhoroi Tapu. Kāore i pēnei i te rā o te Kirihimete e tū tonu ana i te 25 o Tihema, ka whakatauhia te rā o te Aranga i runga i te maramataka marama. Ka tū te Rātapu Aranga i te Rātapu tuatahi i muri i te marama kapi tuatahi i muri i te ekinoitanga o te kōanga (i te tuakoi raki), ko te huringa o te kōanga i te tuakoi tonga. Na tēnei, ka taea te Aranga te tū i waenga i te mutunga o Maehe me te mutunga o Paenga-whāwhā. Ko te Rāhoroi Tapu ka whai tonu i te Paraire Pai, no reira ka hurihia tōna rā i ia tau i ia tau.
Te Hītori me te Pūtake o te Rā
Ko te Rāhoroi Tapu he mahinga tawhito rawa i roto i te hītori o te hāhi Karaitiana. I ngā rautau tuatahi, he rā tēnei mō te nohopuku tino kaha. I whakapono ngā Karaitiana tuatahi me tatari rātou me te ngakau hūmārie i te mea kei te reinga te wairua o te Karaiti e kauwhau ana ki te hunga mate, i te mea e tatari ana tōna tinana i roto i te rua toka.
I Aotearoa, i mau mai ēnei tikanga e ngā mihinare me ngā manene mai i Ūropi i te rautau 19. I te tuatahi, he tino puku te rā, ā, he maha ngā tangata i noho i roto i te inoi. Heoi, i te haerenga o te wā, ka uru mai ngā tikanga o te ao hou. Ahakoa kei te mau tonu te taha wairua, kua huri hoki hei rā mō te whakatā me te takatu. Ko te ingoa "Easter Saturday" e whakamahia nuitia ana e te hunga ehara i te mea whakapono rawa, ahakoa ki te hāhi, ko te Rāhoroi Aranga te rā i muri i te Rātapu Aranga. I Aotearoa, kua whakakotahihia ēnei ingoa i roto i te reo o ia rā.
Ngā Tikanga me ngā Whakanuinga i Aotearoa
Ahakoa ehara te Rāhoroi Tapu i te rā whakanui nui i te taha ki te iwi whānui (pēnei i te Rā o Waitangi, i a Matariki rānei), he maha tonu ngā tikanga e kitea ana puta noa i te motu:
1. Ngā Karakia me ngā Vigils
I te ahiahi o te Rāhoroi Tapu, ka tū te "Easter Vigil" i roto i te tini o ngā whare karakia Katorika me te Anglican i ngā tāone nui pēnei i Tāmaki Makaurau, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, me Ōtautahi. Koinei te karakia nui rawa o te tau mō te tini. Ka tīmata i te pouri, ka tahuna he ahi tapu i waho o te whare karakia, ā, ka tahuna te kānara "Paschal" nui. Ko tēnei kānara e tohu ana i te marama o te Karaiti e uru ana ki te pouri o te ao. He tino ataahua ēnei karakia, ā, he maha ngā tangata ka iriiritia i tēnei pō.2. Te Takatu mō te Rātapu Aranga
Mō te tini o ngā whānau i Aotearoa, ko te Rāhoroi te rā mō te whakarite i te "Easter Egg Hunt" mō ngā tamariki. Ka haere ki ngā toa ki te hoko i ngā hua tiakarete, me te huna i roto i te māra, i te whare rānei mō te ata o te Rātapu. He wā hoki tēnei mō te tunu kai. Ko te hot cross bun (he rēwena ripeka) he kai e kainga ana i te Paraire Pai, engari he maha ngā whānau ka tunu tonu i te Rāhoroi hei kai mā te whānau.3. Te Haere ki te Taha Moana me te Punia
I te mea he wāhanga tēnei o te wiki roa e whā ngā rā, he tini ngā "Kiwi" ka whakamahi i te Rāhoroi Tapu hei rā mo te punia (camping). I te rā o Paenga-whāwhā, he pai tonu te huarere ki te nuinga o te motu, ahakoa kua tīmata te makariri i te pō. He maha ngā whānau ka haere ki ngā pāka ā-rohe, ki te taha moana rānei ki te hī ika, ki te hīkoi rānei i ngā ara ngahere.4. Ngā Mahi i te Kāinga
Mō te hunga ka noho ki te kāinga, he rā tēnei mō te mahi māra, te horoi i te waka, me te whakatikatika i te kāinga i mua i te taenga mai o te takurua. He rā āhua noho noa tēnei mō te tini – he rā ki te pānui pukapuka, ki te mātakitaki i te rīki, i te rurupī rānei i runga i te tīwī.Te Āhuatanga o te Huere me te Haereerenga
Me mōhio te hunga haereere he rā pukumahi tēnei i runga i ngā rori o Aotearoa. I te mea he maha ngā tangata i wehe atu i te tāone i te ahiahi o te Taite, i te ata rānei o te Paraire, he puku te Rāhoroi i runga i ngā huarahi matua, engari he pukumahi i roto i ngā tāone ririki e tata ana ki ngā wāhi rēhia.
Ngā Waka Rererangi me ngā Waka Kōpiko (Ferries): Me mātua tāpui (book) ngā waka rererangi me te Interislander i mua noa atu. Ko te wiki o te Aranga tētahi o ngā wā tino pukumahi mō te haere i waenga i te Te Ika-a-Māui me Te Waipounamu. Ngā Kura: I te nuinga o te wā, ka taka te Aranga ki roto i te wā o ngā hararei kura o te huringa tuatahi (Term 1 holidays). Na tēnei, ka nui ake te hunga e haereere ana puta noa i te motu. Te Wā: He mea tino nui tēnei – i te nuinga o ngā tau, ka mutu te "Daylight Saving" i te ata o te Rātapu Aranga (i muri i te Rāhoroi Tapu). Ko te tikanga, me neke ngā matawā ki muri i te kotahi haora i te pō o te Rāhoroi. He haora tāpiri tēnei mō te moe!
Te Hokohoko me ngā Ture Waipiro
He mea nui mō te hunga manene me te hunga hoko ki te mohio ki ngā ture i Aotearoa i te wā o te Aranga. Ahakoa he rā hokohoko noa te Rāhoroi Tapu, he ture motuhake mō te Paraire Pai me te Rātapu Aranga.
Ngā Toa: Ka tuwhera ngā hokomaha (supermarkets), ngā toa hokohoko ririki, me ngā toa hokohoko nui (malls) i te Rāhoroi Tapu. Inā hoki, koinei te rā e pukumahi rawa ana aua toa i te mea ka kati rātou i te rā i mua atu, me te rā i muri iho. Mena ka hiahia koe ki te kai, ki te taonga rānei, ko te Rāhoroi te rā hei hoko. Te Waipiro: I Aotearoa, he tino kaha ngā ture mō te hoko waipiro i te wā o te Aranga. Kāore e taea te hoko waipiro i ngā hokomaha, i ngā toa pounamu rānei i te Paraire Pai, i te Rātapu Aranga rānei. Engari, i te Rāhoroi Tapu, ka taea te hoko waipiro i ngā haora noa. Heoi, me mahara mehemea kei te kai koe i tētahi wharekai i te ahiahi o te Rāhoroi e tata atu ana ki te waenganui pō, ka rerekē pea te āhei ki te hoko waipiro i te mea ka huri te rā ki te Rātapu.
Te Rāhoroi Tapu mō te Hunga Manene me ngā Kaihaere
Mena kei te toro koe ki Aotearoa i te Rāhoroi Tapu, he mea pai kia mahara ki ēnei atua:
- Whakaute i te taha whakapono: Mena ka haere koe ki tētahi whare karakia mō te Vigil, me mau kākahu e tika ana (smart casual). He wā tino tapu tēnei mō te hunga whakapono, no reira me noho puku me te mātakitaki noa mehemea ehara koe i te ngākau whakapono.
- Mahere mō mua: I te mea he hararei roa tēnei, he maha ngā wharekai ka tāpiri i tētahi "surcharge" (he utu tāpiri, te tikanga he 15 paiheneti) i ngā rā whakatā ā-ture (Paraire me te Rāhina). Ahakoa kāore tēnei i te Rāhoroi Tapu i te nuinga o te wā, me tirotiro tonu i te tahua kai.
- Te Huarere: Ko Paenga-whāwhā te marama o te huringa. Ka taea te rā te whiti mai, engari ka taea hoki te ua me te hau pūkeri. Mena kei te haere ki te taha moana, me mau he koti mahana.
- Ngā Huinga ā-Rohe: Ahakoa kāore he huihuinga nui mō te Rāhoroi Tapu, he maha ngā tāone ririki ka tū i tētahi "Easter Market" rānei, tētahi whakaaturanga rānei pēnei i te "Warbirds over Wanaka" (e tū ana i ia rua tau i te Aranga). He wā pai tēnei ki te kite i te wairua o te hapori.
Te Rāhoroi Tapu i roto i te Ahurea o Aotearoa
I Aotearoa, he whakawhitinga te rā nei i waenga i te taha wairua me te taha ki te ao. Mō te Māori, ahakoa he rerekē ngā uara i mua i te taenga mai o te Karaitiana, he maha ngā iwi kua mātua mau ki te whakapono Karaitiana mai i te rautau 19. I runga i te marae, ka kitea pea te mahi inoi me te maumahara i tēnei rā.
He rā hoki tēnei mō te "Kiwiana". Ko te kai i te hot cross bun me te butter (pata), te hoko i te "Easter Egg" tiakarete he mea nui ki te taha ahurea. Ko te Rāhoroi Tapu te rā e whakaritea ai ēnei mea katoa. He rā hāneanea, he rā āhua puhoi, e taea ai e te tangata te whakatā i mua i te hoki ki te pukumahi o te ao.
I roto i te katoa, ko te Rāhoroi Tapu i Aotearoa he rā mō te whakatau. He rā mō te tatari i te aranga mai o te tūmanako, ahakoa i roto i te whare karakia, i roto rānei i te pūngao o te whānau e huihui ana. He wā tēnei mō te noho tahi, te kai tahi, me te mihi ki te wā o te ngahuru e whakakahu ana i te whenua.
He Rā Whakatā ā-Ture tēnei?
Koinei tētahi o ngā pātai e auau ana te uia. Kāo, ehara te Rāhoroi Tapu i te rā whakatā ā-ture (public holiday) i Aotearoa.
Ko te Paraire Pai me te Rāhina Aranga anake ngā rā whakatā ā-ture i roto i te wiki o te Aranga. Na tēnei:
Te Mahi: Ko te hunga e mahi ana i te Rāhoroi ka whiwhi noa i tō rātou utu mānoa (normal pay). Kāore e whiwhi i te "time and a half" (utu tāpiri), kāore hoki e whiwhi i tētahi rā whakatā hei whakakapi (day in lieu), hāunga ia mehemea kua whakaaetia i roto i tō kirimana mahi motuhake. Ngā Toa me ngā Ratonga: Ka tuwhera ngā whare pukapuka, ngā puna kaukau, me ngā ratonga kaunihera i runga i ngā haora o te Rāhoroi noa. Ko ngā pahi me ngā tereina ka rere i runga i te rārangi wā o te Rāhoroi.
- Hokohoko: Ka rite ki te Rāhoroi noa, ka tuwhera ngā toa katoa. He mea nui tēnei na te mea ko te Paraire Pai me te Rātapu Aranga he "restricted trading days", ko te tikanga he maha ngā toa nui me kati i aua rā. Na reira,
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Holy Saturday in New Zealand
Holy Saturday falls on Saturday, April 4, 2026, 2026. There are currently 91 days remaining until this observance. In New Zealand, this day marks the final day of Lent and the period of quiet anticipation between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, commemorating the time Jesus Christ lay in the tomb.
No, Holy Saturday is not a national public holiday in New Zealand. While Good Friday and Easter Monday are statutory holidays, Holy Saturday is considered a religious observance and a regular working day. This means employees do not receive a paid day off, and most businesses, supermarkets, and shopping malls operate during their standard Saturday hours. However, it forms part of a popular four-day long weekend for many Kiwis.
For the approximately 37% of New Zealanders who identify as Christian, Holy Saturday is a day of solemn reflection and waiting. It commemorates the silence of the tomb following the crucifixion. Many Anglican and Catholic churches in cities like Auckland and Wellington hold Easter Vigil services late on Saturday evening. These services often involve lighting the Paschal candle to symbolise the light of Christ returning to the world, marking the transition from mourning to the joy of the resurrection.
Yes, shops and services are generally open on Holy Saturday. Unlike Good Friday and Easter Sunday, which have strict trading restrictions under New Zealand law, Holy Saturday is a normal trading day. Supermarkets, cafes, and retail stores are typically busy as people stock up on supplies for Easter Sunday lunch or chocolate eggs. Visitors should note that while shops are open, some alcohol sale restrictions may still apply in certain hospitality venues due to the proximity to the restricted trading days of the Easter period.
Many New Zealanders treat Holy Saturday as a practical day for Easter preparations and family activities. Common traditions include baking hot cross buns, organising Easter egg hunts for children, or enjoying outdoor activities like a backyard barbecue or a trip to the beach. Since the holiday falls in April (autumn), the weather is usually cool, averaging 15-20°C. Many families use the day to travel to regional holiday spots or go camping, taking advantage of the school holiday period and the long weekend.
Visitors should be prepared for busy roads and high demand for domestic travel. Because Holy Saturday is tucked between two major public holidays, many locals head out of the main cities like Christchurch and Auckland for getaways. It is highly recommended to book Interislander ferries, flights, and accommodation well in advance. Additionally, visitors should remember that Daylight Saving Time ends on the night of Saturday leading into Sunday in 2026, meaning clocks go back one hour, providing an extra hour of sleep before Easter Sunday.
There are no major national parades, festivals, or unique public ceremonies specific to Holy Saturday in New Zealand. It is a much more subdued day compared to other holidays like Matariki or Waitangi Day. The atmosphere is generally relaxed and low-key. While there aren't large public festivals, you will find many local community markets operating as usual, and churches will be preparing their sanctuaries with flowers and candles for the upcoming Easter Sunday celebrations.
For those wishing to observe the religious aspects of the day, church services are welcoming to all, though it is respectful to dress in smart-casual attire. For non-religious visitors, Holy Saturday is a great time to explore New Zealand's natural beauty or visit local attractions that might be closed on Good Friday or Easter Sunday. It is a day of routine for many, so simply being aware of the increased traffic and the ending of Daylight Saving Time will ensure a smooth experience during the Easter break.
Historical Dates
Holy Saturday dates in New Zealand from 2010 to 2025
| Year | Day of Week | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Saturday | April 19, 2025 |
| 2024 | Saturday | March 30, 2024 |
| 2023 | Saturday | April 8, 2023 |
| 2022 | Saturday | April 16, 2022 |
| 2021 | Saturday | April 3, 2021 |
| 2020 | Saturday | April 11, 2020 |
| 2019 | Saturday | April 20, 2019 |
| 2018 | Saturday | March 31, 2018 |
| 2017 | Saturday | April 15, 2017 |
| 2016 | Saturday | March 26, 2016 |
| 2015 | Saturday | April 4, 2015 |
| 2014 | Saturday | April 19, 2014 |
| 2013 | Saturday | March 30, 2013 |
| 2012 | Saturday | April 7, 2012 |
| 2011 | Saturday | April 23, 2011 |
| 2010 | Saturday | April 3, 2010 |
Note: Holiday dates may vary. Some holidays follow lunar calendars or have different observance dates. Purple indicates weekends.
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About New Zealand
- Country Code
- NZ
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- Oceania
- Total Holidays
- 19