When is Annunciation?
In 2026, Annunciation falls on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. It is classified here as a Lebanese public holiday.
History of Annunciation
The Feast of the Annunciation commemorates the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus. In Lebanon, the date has an exceptional public meaning: it is recognised as a holiday and has been cultivated as an occasion for Christian–Muslim encounter around Mary, revered in both Christianity and Islam.
UNESCO describes the Lebanese celebration as a practice that brings together people of different faiths through common gatherings, prayer and cultural activity. It does not erase theological difference; its value lies in making respectful neighbourliness visible in a country where religious communities share the same civic space.
The Lebanese government established March 25 as a national holiday in 2010, and the shared practice was later inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Public events may include Marian hymns, readings from Christian and Islamic traditions, meetings and artistic programmes. UNESCO’s recognition concerns the Lebanese interfaith practice surrounding the feast, not a claim that Christianity and Islam hold identical doctrines about Mary or Jesus.
How Annunciation is observed
A nationwide public holiday on March 25. Religious services, Marian gatherings and interfaith programmes vary by locality, congregation and organising institution.
Traditions of Annunciation
Family and friends
Lebanese households often use the Annunciation for a shared meal, telephone greetings, family visits and an unhurried break from work routines.
Public programmes
Lebanese schools, municipalities, cultural institutions and community organisations may arrange ceremonies, concerts, exhibitions or educational programmes appropriate to the occasion.
Check local hours
Public offices close on statutory holidays, while Lebanese shops, transport operators, restaurants and visitor sites publish their own opening schedules.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Lebanese official and legal guidance. Lunar dates, decree updates and public-service schedules should be confirmed against official notices.
History sources: Lebanese Ministry of Industry: Working Hours and Holidays (Decree No. 15215, as amended), Council of Ministers: official holidays and public closures.
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