Public holidays in Greece

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According to Greek law every Sunday of the year is a public holiday. 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.[1] 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

[edit]

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.  | [2]
6 January  | Epiphany | Theophánia  | Θεοφάνια  |  | [2]
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  |  | [3]
moveable (day after Orthodox Easter)  | Easter Monday | Deftéra tou Páscha  | Δευτέρα του Πάσχα  |  | [4]
1 May  | Labour Day | Ergatikí Protomagiá
(lit. 1 May of the Workers) | Εργατική Πρωτομαγιά  |  | [3]
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.  | [2]
15 August  | Dormition of the Mother of God | Kímisi tis Theotókou  | Κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου  | The most important celebration of the Virgin Mary.  | [4]
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.  | [5]
25 December  | Christmas Day | Christoúyenna  | Χριστούγεννα  |  | [4]
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.  | [2]

1. ^ "Ποιες είναι οι ημέρες υποχρεωτικής αργίας". ΚΕ.Π.Ε.Α./Γ.Σ.Ε.Ε. (in Greek). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. ^ a b c d Customary, regulated by the Ministry
3. ^ a b Note that Easter Sunday and Pentecost, are not official holidays as they always occur on a Sunday
4. ^ a b c Obligatory, fixed by law
5. ^ Optional, regulated by law

## Profession-specific holidays

[edit]

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

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

* 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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