When is Annunciation?
In 2026, Annunciation falls on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. It is an observance rather than a federal holiday, so federal offices and most businesses follow their normal schedules.
History of Annunciation
The Annunciation commemorates the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would bear Jesus. In Georgia it is celebrated on April 7 according to the Georgian Orthodox calendar and is recognised among the major church holidays in the state–church constitutional agreement.
The feast falls within Lent and has a distinctive quietness: worship and prayer take precedence, even as households may observe modest festive customs. It is not listed as a statutory nationwide day off, so workplaces and public offices normally follow regular schedules.
April 7 corresponds to March 25 in the Julian calendar and can fall during Holy Week or near Orthodox Easter. Orthodox liturgical rules determine how services are combined when feasts coincide, but the civil status remains simple: the Annunciation is not in Article 30. The constitutional agreement’s recognition of major church feasts does not itself make every one a nationwide non-working day. This distinction between ecclesiastical importance and labour-law status is essential for accurate travel and workplace planning in Georgia.
How Annunciation is observed
A major Georgian Orthodox observance on April 7, not a nationwide statutory day off. Parish service times vary. April 7 remains a normal working day unless a workplace makes its own arrangement; no statutory substitute rule applies.
Traditions of Annunciation
Marian liturgy
Georgian Orthodox parishes celebrate the Annunciation with Gospel readings, hymns and prayers centred on Mary’s acceptance of Gabriel’s message. Georgian Annunciation observance retains a restrained Lenten setting, with parish worship taking priority over large secular programmes or public ceremony.
Lenten meal
Observant households follow the feast’s liturgical relaxation within Lent according to church guidance, rather than treating it as an unrestricted banquet. Georgian Annunciation observance retains a restrained Lenten setting, with parish worship taking priority over large secular programmes or public ceremony.
Icon veneration
Worshippers light candles and approach Annunciation icons, especially in churches dedicated to the Mother of God throughout Georgia. Georgian Annunciation observance retains a restrained Lenten setting, with parish worship taking priority over large secular programmes or public ceremony.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Georgian legal and official guidance. Religious-calendar dates and local-service schedules should be confirmed against the annual official calendar.
History sources: Legislative Herald: Constitutional Agreement with the Georgian Orthodox Church, Legislative Herald of Georgia: Labour Code, Article 30, National Parliamentary Library of Georgia: Public Holidays.
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