Greek Public Holidays, the Orthodox Calendar and Traditions
Understand Greece’s public holidays and Orthodox calendar, from Clean Monday and Pascha to March 25, Ohi Day, August feasts and local patron saints.
11 min readGreece holiday calendar
Public holidays in Greece 2026
Calendar compilation last reviewed
Plan the year with every Greece public holiday, regional date and major cultural observance in our calendar. Each entry links to a detailed guide covering its history, status, traditions and sources.
- Public holidays
- 9
- Regional dates
- 0
- Observances
- 5
- Substitute dates
- 0
How public holidays work in Greece
The calendar separates public holidays from regional dates and cultural observances. Public holidays are the broadest category in our Greece calendar. Regional holidays may apply only in a particular state, province, territory or community, while an observance does not automatically mean that workplaces, schools or public services close.
No separate substitute dates are currently listed for 2026. Weekend and time-off rules can still vary by employer, region and holiday, so consult the linked guide and primary source before making arrangements. April is the busiest month, with 3 listed dates.
Greece holiday dates in 2026
The table lists 14 calendar entries. Follow a holiday name for its full background, observance details and traditions.
| Date | Holiday | Type | Observed day |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s DayJanuary 1 is Greece’s compulsory public holiday and the Orthodox feast of Saint Basil. | Public holiday | — | |
| EpiphanyJanuary 6 is Greece’s compulsory Theophany holiday, famous for public Blessing of the Waters ceremonies. | Public holiday | — | |
| Clean MondayClean Monday begins Orthodox Lent with lagana, fasting foods, outdoor picnics and kite flying. | Cultural observance | — | |
| Independence DayMarch 25 commemorates the Greek Revolution of 1821 and coincides with the Orthodox Annunciation. | Public holiday | — | |
| Good FridayOrthodox Good Friday centres on the flower-covered Epitaphios and solemn evening processions across Greece. | Cultural observance | — | |
| Orthodox EasterPascha is Greece’s central Orthodox feast, celebrated with the Holy Light, red eggs and family feasting. | Cultural observance | — | |
| Easter MondayThe Monday after Orthodox Pascha is a compulsory Greek public holiday continuing Easter gatherings and travel. | Public holiday | — | |
| Labour DayMay 1 is Greece’s compulsory public holiday for workers’ rights and a longstanding spring festival. | Public holiday | — | |
| Holy Spirit MondayThe Monday after Pentecost is a bank and public-sector holiday, but not compulsory for every Greek private employer. | Cultural observance | — | |
| Assumption DayAugust 15 is a compulsory holiday and Greece’s great summer feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. | Public holiday | — | |
| Ohi DayOctober 28 commemorates Greece’s rejection of Italy’s 1940 ultimatum and entry into the Second World War. | Public holiday | — | |
| Polytechnic AnniversaryNovember 17 remembers the 1973 student uprising against Greece’s military dictatorship and its violent suppression. | Cultural observance | — | |
| Christmas DayDecember 25 is Greece’s compulsory Nativity holiday, combining Orthodox worship, family meals and seasonal customs. | Public holiday | — | |
| Second Day of ChristmasDecember 26 is Greece’s compulsory second Christmas holiday and the Orthodox Synaxis of the Theotokos. | Public holiday | — |
Stories behind the dates
Understand Greece holidays and traditions
Go beyond the calendar with editorial guides to public-holiday rules, historical context and the ways people observe important dates.
Sources for Greece holidays
Calendar dates and classifications are checked against the primary calendar sources below. Historical and cultural claims have additional citations on each individual holiday guide.
- ypergasias.gov.grPrimary calendar source
- bankofgreece.grPrimary calendar source
- goarch.orgPrimary calendar source
- foundation.parliament.grPrimary calendar source