All Saints (beginning)
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Friday october 27, 2023
School holidays :
Daylight Saving Time
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Sunday october 29, 2023
Special Events : At 1:00 a.m. local times
Christmas holiday (beginning)
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Sunday december 24, 2023
School holidays :
Christmas Eve
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Sunday december 24, 2023
Banks only :
Christmas Day
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Monday december 25, 2023
Catholic or protestant : Since pre-historic times in Europe, festivities (bonfires, offrerings) were marking the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual. The Roman festival of Saturnalia lasted several days in December (gambling and offerings). Germanic tribes also celebrated mid-winter (drinking and rituals). The Bulgarian (with Koleduvane) and the Polish (with Gwiazdka) perpetuate this tradition. Jesus of Nazareth was probably born in springtime (Reformists favour autumn). But in the 4th century, December 25th was chosen for the celebration of his birth by Pope Julius I (Bishop Liberus is also mentioned in 354 A.D.). Thus, a Christian element was introduced in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Before 1582, the Papal States and other Italian city states celebrated New Years Day on Christmas Day.
Boxing Day
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Tuesday december 26, 2023
Catholic or protestant :
Banks are closed
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Sunday december 31, 2023
Banks only :
New Year's Day
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Monday january 1, 2024
Secular holiday : The world's most widely celebrated holiday, New Years was set on January 1 by Julius Caesar because that was the date the Roman consuls took over their duties. Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Epiphany
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Saturday january 6, 2024
Catholic or protestant : The term comes from ancient Greek and means appearance . Celebrated on the 6th January, this feast corresponds to the presentation of Child Jesus to the Magi. This is the day of Jesus' first miracle, the Wedding in Cana , and the day of his own baptism Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Carnival
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Monday february 12, 2024
Secular holiday : Government employees and civil servants only
Valentine's Day
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Wednesday february 14, 2024
cards/flowers : Introduced by Pope Gelasus in 498, perhaps in response to a local Roman tradition of lovers writing their names on an urn in February
Carnival holiday (end)
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Monday february 19, 2024
School holidays :
Constitution Day
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Thursday march 14, 2024
Secular holiday : Celebrates the referendum which lead to a written constitution in May 1993
Fathers' Day
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Tuesday march 19, 2024
cards/flowers :
Easter holiday (beginning)
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Wednesday march 27, 2024
School holidays :
Banks close at 14:00
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Thursday march 28, 2024
Banks only :
Good Friday
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Friday march 29, 2024
Catholic or protestant : The First Council of Nicaea (a gathering of bishops in the early days of Christianity) wanted to find a day to commemorate the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
This commemoration had to be linked to Jewish holiday traditions, since the last supper of Christ was believed to be a Jewish Passover meal. But the Jewish calendar is based on lunar and solar cycles, so the Easter celebration had to follow the same calendar.
Holy Saturday
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Saturday march 30, 2024
Catholic : Paid holiday
Easter
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Sunday march 31, 2024
Catholic or protestant : Not a paid holiday
Daylight Saving Time
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Sunday march 31, 2024
Special Events : At 1:00 am local times