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 | ||||||
| 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 | |||
| 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 (day after Orthodox Easter) | Easter Monday | Deftéra tou Páscha | Δευτέρα του Πάσχα | [3] | ||
| 1 May | Labour Day | Ergatikí Protomagiá (lit. 1 May of the Workers) | Εργατική Πρωτομαγιά | [4] | ||
| 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. | [5] | |
| 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 | ||||||
| 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). | |