| National Holidays | |||||
| Date | English Name | Greek Name (transliterated) | Greek Name | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Protochroniá | Πρωτοχρονιά | Also celebrated ecclesiastically as the feast of St. Basil the Great and of the Circumcision of Christ. | 3 |
| January 6 | Epiphany or Theophany | Theophánia | Θεοφάνεια | 3 | |
| moveable |
Clean Monday or Shrove Monday | Kathará Deftéra | Καθαρά Δευτέρα | The first day of Lent. Next: March 18, 2013 | 3 |
| March 25 | Annunciation | Evangelismós tis Theotókou | Ευαγγελισμός της Θεοτόκου | Celebration of the Annunciation – when the Incarnation of Logos was announced to the Virgin Mary. | 1 |
| Independence Day | Eikostí-pémti Martíou |
Εικοστή Πέμπτη Μαρτιου | Anniversary of the declaration of the start of Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, in 1821. | ||
| moveable |
Good Friday | Megáli Paraskeví | Μεγάλη Παρασκευή | Next: May 3, 2013 | 3 |
| moveable | Easter | Kyriakí tou Páscha | Κυριακή του Πάσχα | Next: May 5, 2013 | * |
| moveable |
Easter Monday | Deftéra tou Páscha | Δευτέρα του Πάσχα | Next: May 6, 2013 | 1 |
| May 1 | Labour Day | Ergatikí Protomagiá |
Εργατική Πρωτομαγιά | 2,4 | |
| moveable |
Pentecost or Whit Sunday | Pentikostí |
Πεντηκοστή | Next: June 23, 2013 | * |
| moveable |
Pentecost Monday or Whit Monday | Deutéra Pentikostís or Agíou Pnévmatos |
Δευτέρα Πεντηκοστής or Αγίου Πνεύματος | Monday of the Holy Spirit or Pentecost Monday. Next: June 24, 2013 | 3 |
| August 15 | Assumption or Dormition of the Holy Virgin | Kímisi tis Theotókou | Η Κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου | The most important celebration of the Virgin Mary. | 1 |
| October 28 | The "Ochi day" | 'To Ochi' or 'Imera tou Ochi" |
Το Όχι or Ημέρα του Όχι | Celebration of the Greek refusal to the Italian ultimatum of 1940. | 2 |
| December 25 | Christmas | Christoúgenna | Χριστούγεννα | 1 | |
| December 26 | Glorifying Mother of God | Sínaxis Hyperagías Theotókou Marías | Σύναξις Ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου Μαρίας | The religious meaning of the holiday is a coming together to glorify the Theotokos.But in general and in effect the day is considered a holiday because it's the day after Christmas just like Boxing Day in some Commonwealth countries. | 3 |
* Note that Easter Sunday and Pentecost, are not official holidays as they always occur on a Sunday
1 Obligatory, fixed by law
2 Optional, regulated by law
3 Customary, regulated by the Ministry
4 Regarded as a General Stike, can be transferred to another date.
Read more about this topic: Public Holidays In Greece
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