Lithuania · Lithuanian public holiday

All Souls’ Day

November 2, Vėlinės, is Lithuania’s public All Souls’ Day, continuing the country’s deep annual tradition of remembering the dead.

Date in 2026Monday, November 2, 2026
Holiday statusLithuanian public holiday

When is All Souls’ Day?

In 2026, All Souls’ Day falls on Monday, November 2, 2026. It is classified here as a Lithuanian public holiday.

History of All Souls’ Day

All Souls’ Day, Vėlinės, follows All Saints’ Day on November 2. The Catholic feast is dedicated to the faithful departed, yet the Lithuanian word Vėlinės also evokes older traditions of remembering ancestral spirits. The calendar therefore brings Christian practice and a much older sense of family continuity into the same autumn moment.

Lithuania’s Labour Code now lists November 2 as a public holiday, allowing the two days of remembrance to be observed together. For families it often means a second cemetery visit, a longer journey to an ancestral town or simply time to sit with names and memories that do not fit into ordinary schedules.

Lithuania added November 2 to the Labour Code holiday list from 2020, giving Vėlinės an independent legal status rather than treating it as an informal extension of November 1. It is therefore inaccurate to describe All Souls’ Day as merely an observance or to collapse both dates into All Saints’ Day. Each stays on its fixed date with no substitute Monday. The one-hour pre-holiday reduction may apply even when the preceding day is itself a holiday and an employee is lawfully scheduled to work.

How All Souls’ Day is observed

A nationwide public holiday on November 2. It extends the All Saints’ remembrance period, with cemetery visits and holiday schedules across public life.

Traditions of All Souls’ Day

  • A second day at the cemetery

    Families continue visiting graves, especially when relatives are buried in different places. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.

  • Candles for the departed

    Candles and flowers remain central, expressing remembrance across generations. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.

  • Homecoming journeys

    The two-day break allows people living in cities to return to family towns and villages. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.

Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Lithuanian legal and government guidance. Employer, school and local-service schedules can differ from the statutory public-holiday calendar.

History sources: Republic of Lithuania Labour Code: Article 123 public holidays, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: public holidays in Lithuania, State Labour Inspectorate: working time before public holidays.

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