Third Sunday of Easter

"Misericordia Sunday" redirects here. For the celebration associated with the Second Sunday of Easter, see Divine Mercy Sunday.

Third Sunday of Easter
Also called	Misericordia Sunday Good Shepherd Sunday
Observed by	Christians
Observances	Church services
Date	Two weeks after Easter Day
2023 date	April 23 (Western) April 30 (Eastern)
2024 date	April 14 (Western) May 19 (Eastern)
2025 date	May 4 (Western) May 4 (Eastern)
2026 date	April 19 (Western) April 26 (Eastern)

The Third Sunday of Easter or Third Sunday of Eastertide is the third Sunday of the Easter season, being the day that occurs two weeks after the Christian celebration of Easter Sunday. It is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.^[1]

Western Christianity

The incipit of the Gregorian chant introit Misericordia Domini in the Liber Usualis.

In the traditional Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, this day is officially the Second Sunday after Easter, also known as Misericordia Sunday and Good Shepherd Sunday. "Misericordia Sunday" is due to the incipit ("Misericórdia Dómini") of the introit assigned to this day's liturgy.^[2] The full text of the introit in Latin 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 of Psalm 33. "Good Shepherd Sunday" is due to the Gospel reading assigned to it (John 10:11–16).

In the 1970 revision of the Roman Missal, this day was designated the "Third Sunday of Easter." The "Misericórdia Dómini" introit for this Sunday was swapped with that of the following Sunday,^[4] and the "Good Shepherd" Gospel reading was likewise moved forward one week.

In the Lutheran Churches, the Second Sunday of Easter, according to The 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]

Local celebrations

On some local liturgical calendars (such as that of the Capuchins and that of the Archdiocese 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 a memorial on the following Saturday.^[5])

In Jerusalem and among the Franciscans, this Sunday was formerly celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Sepulchre.^[2]

Eastern Christianity

In the Greek Orthodox Church, this day is called the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers.^[6][2]

Armenian Christianity celebrates on this day the dedication of the first Christian church on Mount Zion.^[2]

See also

• Eastertide

References

1. Gramenz, Stefan (6 April 2021). "Eastertide Lections". The Lutheran Missal.
2.  Holweck, Frederick (1913). "Paschal Tide". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
3. Missale Romanum [Roman Missal] (in Latin) (5th post-typical ed.). Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. 2012 [1960]. p. 260.
4. Missale Romanum [Roman Missal] (in Latin) (3rd revised ed.). Midwest Theological Forum. 2015. pp. 322, 329.
5. "Santos Proprios de la Archidiócesis de Sevilla" (in Spanish). Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seville. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
6. "Sunday Of The Myrrhbearers". Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Retrieved April 10, 2021.

Sundays of the Easter cycle
Preceded by Second Sunday of Easter	Third Sunday of Easter April 14, 2024	Succeeded by Fourth Sunday of Easter