Greece Public Holidays Calendar

Overview of Public Holidays in Greece

In the Greek Orthodox Church, fixed-date holidays (such as Epiphany and Christmas) are celebrated using the Revised Julian calendar (which aligns with the Gregorian calendar), while the date of Easter is determined using the traditional Julian calendar.

• Epiphany (Theophany)
  The Greek Orthodox Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. At this moment, the Holy Spirit is said to have descended in the form of a dove (establishing the Holy Trinity).
  Although it falls on the same day as Epiphany in the Western Church, the event it commemorates is different.
• Clean Monday (Ash Monday / Kathara Deftera)
  The first day of Great Lent in the Greek Orthodox Church, falling 40 days before Easter. From this day until Easter, the Greek Orthodox tradition forbids eating meat.
• Independence Day
  Commemorates Greece's independence from the Ottoman Empire following the Greek War of Independence, which began in March 1821.
• Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday
  Important religious holidays commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  In the Greek Orthodox Church, the date of Easter is determined by the Julian calendar (old calendar), so the dates differ from Western Christian Easter.
• Whit Monday (Monday of the Holy Spirit)
  A Greek Orthodox holiday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. This event is said to have occurred 50 days after Easter.
• Dormition of the Holy Virgin (Assumption of Mary)
  A Greek Orthodox feast day commemorating the end of the Virgin Mary's earthly life and the assumption of her body and soul into heaven.
• National Anniversary (Ohi Day)
  Commemorates October 28, 1940, during World War II, when Greece rejected the ultimatum of surrender issued by Italian forces.

Greek National Flag & Anthem

National Flag

The national flag of Greece features a pattern combining a blue and white cross with nine stripes. The nine stripes symbolize the motto of the Greek War of Independence, and the cross originates from the flag raised during that war.

National Anthem