Public holidays in Greece

According to Greek law every Sunday of the year is a public holiday. In addition, there are six obligatory, official public holidays: New Year's Day, 25 March, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, 15 August and 25 December. Two more days, 1 May and 28 October, are regulated by law as optional but it is customary for employees to be given the day off. There are, however, more public holidays celebrated in Greece than are announced by the Ministry of Labour each year as either obligatory or optional. 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 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. [1]
6 January Epiphany Theophánia Θεοφάνεια [1]
moveable
Easter – 48 days
Next: 15 March 2021		 Clean Monday Kathará Deftéra Καθαρά Δευτέρα The first day of Lent.
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
Easter – 2 days
Next: 30 April 2021		 Great Friday Megáli Paraskeví Μεγάλη Παρασκευή [2]
1 May Labour Day Ergatikí Protomagiá
(lit. 1 May of the Workers)		 Εργατική Πρωτομαγιά [2]
moveable
Easter + 1 day
Next: 3 May 2021		 Easter Monday Deftéra tou Páscha Δευτέρα του Πάσχα [3]
moveable
Easter + 50 days
Next: 21 June 2021		 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. [1]
15 August Assumption Day or Dormition of the Holy Virgin Kímisi tis Theotókou Κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου The most important celebration of the Virgin Mary. [3]
28 October Ochi Day 'To Ochi' or 'Imera tou Ochi'
(lit. Day of the "No")		 Το Όχι or Ημέρα του Όχι Celebration of the Greek refusal to the Italian ultimatum of 1940. [4]
25 December Christmas Day Christoúyenna Χριστούγεννα [3]
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. [1]
  1. Customary, regulated by the Ministry
  2. Note that Easter Sunday and Pentecost, are not official holidays as they always occur on a Sunday
  3. Obligatory, fixed by law
  4. Optional, regulated by law

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
  • List of the various days envisaged as non-working days pursuant to Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 1182/71 of 3 June 1971
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