Public Holidays In Greece
According to Greek law every Sunday of the year is a public holiday.
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In addition, there are nine mandatory, official public holidays: New Year's Day, 6 January, 25 March, Orthodox Easter Monday, 1 May, 15 August, 28 October, 25 December and 26 December. There are, however, more public holidays celebrated in Greece than are announced by the Ministry of Labour each year as mandatory. The list of these non-fixed National Holidays rarely changes and has not changed in recent decades, giving a total of twelve National Holidays each year.
A public holiday that occurs on a Sunday is not transferred to another date, with the exception of 1 May, which is regarded by the locals more as a general strike than a public holiday.
In addition to the national holidays, some public holidays that are not celebrated nationwide, but only by a specific professional group or a local community. For example, many municipalities have a patron Saint also called 'Name Day' or a Liberation Day, and at this day it is customary for schools to have a day off.
National holidays
| National Holidays | |||||
| Date | English Name | Greek Name (transliterated/transcribed) | Greek Name | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day | Protochroniá | Πρωτοχρονιά | Also celebrated ecclesiastically as the feast of St. Basil the Great and of the Circumcision of Christ. | |
| 6 January | Epiphany | Theophánia | Θεοφάνια | ||
| moveable (48 days before Orthodox Easter) | Clean Monday | Kathará Deftéra | Καθαρά Δευτέρα | The first day of Lent. | 3 |
| 25 March | Independence Day | Ikostí-pémpti Martíou (lit. 25 March) | Εικοστή Πέμπτη Μαρτίου | Anniversary of the declaration of the start of Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, in 1821. | |
| moveable (2 days before Orthodox Easter) | Good Friday | Megáli Paraskeví | Μεγάλη Παρασκευή | ||
| moveable (day after Orthodox Easter) | Easter Monday | Deftéra tou Páscha | Δευτέρα του Πάσχα | ||
| 1 May | Labour Day | Ergatikí Protomagiá (lit. 1 May of the Workers) | Εργατική Πρωτομαγιά | ||
| moveable (50 days Orthodox after Easter) | Whit Monday | Deftéra Pentikostís (lit. Pentecost Monday) or Agíou Pnévmatos (lit. Of the Holy Spirit) | Δευτέρα Πεντηκοστής or Αγίου Πνεύματος | Monday of the Holy Spirit or Pentecost Monday. | |
| 15 August | Dormition of the Mother of God | Kímisi tis Theotókou | Κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου | The most important celebration of the Virgin Mary. | |
| 28 October | Ohi Day | 'To Ohi' or 'Imera tou Ohi' (lit. Day of the "No") | Το Όχι or Ημέρα του Όχι | Celebration of the Greek refusal to the Italian ultimatum of 1940. | |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Christoúyenna | Χριστούγεννα | ||
| 26 December | Glorifying Mother of God | Sínaxis Yperagías Theotókou Marías | Σύναξις Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου Μαρίας | The religious meaning of the holiday is a coming together to glorify the Theotokos, but in general and in effect the day is considered a holiday because it's the day after Christmas just like Boxing Day in some Commonwealth countries. | |
Profession-specific holidays
| Profession-specific Holidays | |||||
| Date | English Name | Greek Name (transliterated) | Greek Name | Applies to | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 January | The Three Holy Hierarchs | Trion Ierarchon | Τριών Ιεραρχών | Education | Commemoration of the patron saints of education (St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. John Chrysostom) |
| 17 November | Polytechnio | Polytechnio | Πολυτεχνείο | Education | Anniversary of the 1973 students protests against the junta of the colonels (1967–1974). |
Bibliography
- Tomkinson, John L. Festive Greece: A Calendar of Tradition. Athens: Anagnosis, 2003, ISBN 960-87186-7-8
- Τ.Ε.Ι. Σερρών, Τμήμα Λογιστικής
External links
- List of the various days envisaged as non-working days pursuant to Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 1182/71 of 3 June 1971 [1]
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