| Third Sunday of Easter | |
|---|---|
| Also called | Misericordia Sunday Good Shepherd Sunday |
| Observed by | Christians |
| Observances | Church services |
| Date | Two weeks afterEaster Day |
| 2024 date |
|
| 2025 date |
|
| 2026 date |
|
| 2027 date |
|
TheThird Sunday of Easter orThird Sunday of Eastertide is the third Sunday of theEaster season, being the day that occurs two weeks after theChristian celebration ofEaster Sunday. It is also known asGood Shepherd Sunday.[1]
In thetraditionalRoman Rite of theCatholic Church, this day is officially theSecond Sunday after Easter, also known asMisericordia Sunday andGood Shepherd Sunday. "Misericordia Sunday" is due to theincipit ("Misericórdia Dómini") of theintroit assigned to this day's liturgy.[2] The full text of the introit inLatin is: "Misericórdia Dómini plena est terra, allelúia: verbo Dómini caeli firmáti sunt, allelúia, allelúia. Exsultáte, iusti, in Dómino: rectos decet collaudátio."[3] This introit is based on verses 5, 6, and 1 ofPsalm 33. "Good Shepherd Sunday" is due to the Gospel reading assigned to it (John 10:11–16).
In the1970 revision of theRoman Missal, this day was designated the "Third Sunday of Easter". The "Misericórdia Dómini" introit for this Sunday was swapped with that ofthe following Sunday,[4] and the "Good Shepherd" Gospel reading was likewise moved forward one week.
In theLutheran Churches, the Second Sunday of Easter, according toThe Lutheran Missal, is known as Good Shepherd Sunday and "gives us Jesus’ description of Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep."[1]
On some localliturgical calendars (such as that of theCapuchins and that of theArchdiocese of Seville), this Sunday was formerly known as the Feast of Our Lady, Mother of the Good Shepherd.[2] (The Archdiocese of Seville now celebrates this feast as amemorial on the following Saturday.[5])
InJerusalem and among theFranciscans, this Sunday was formerly celebrated as the Feast of theHoly Sepulchre.[2]
In theGreek Orthodox Church, this day is called theSunday of theMyrrhbearers.[6][2]
Armenian Christianity celebrates on this day thededication of the first Christian church onMount Zion.[2]
Holweck, Frederick (1913)."Paschal Tide". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. RetrievedApril 10, 2021.| Sundays of theEaster cycle | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Third Sunday of Easter May 4, 2025 | Succeeded by |
