Public holidays in North Macedonia

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Public holidays are observed in the Republic of North Macedonia for a number of reasons, including religious and national significance. They are generally accompanied by celebrations. [1] The holidays are regulated by the 1998 Law on Holidays. [2] If a national holiday happens to be observed on a Sunday, the next (working) day (Monday) will be non-working.

Contents

National holidays

DateEnglish nameMacedonian name2023 date2024 dateRemarks
1 January New Year's Day Нова Година, Nova Godina2 January1 January 
7 January Orthodox Christmas Прв ден Божик, Prv den Božik7 January8 January 
April/May Orthodox Easter Monday Втор ден Велигден, Vtor den Veligden17 April [3] 6 May [3] It is always on a Sunday.
1 May Labour Day Ден на трудот, Den na trudot1 May1 May
24 May Saints Cyril and Methodius Day Св. Кирил и Методиј, Ден на сèсловенските просветители; Sv. Kiril i Metodij, Den na sèslovenskite prosvetiteli24 May24 May 
2 August Republic Day [4] [2] Ден на Републиката, Den na Republikata2 August2 AugustIt marks the day of the proclamation of the Ilinden Uprising in 1903, as well as the proclamation of the republic of Macedonia in 1944.
8 September Independence Day [4] Ден на независноста, Den na nezavisnosta8 September9 SeptemberIt marks the day of independence from Yugoslavia, achieved with the 1991 referendum.
11 October Day of the Macedonian Uprising Ден на востанието, Den na vostanieto11 October11 OctoberIt marks the start of the Macedonian anti-fascist resistance during WWII with an attack in Prilep in 1941.
23 October Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle [2] Ден на македонската револуционерна борба, Den na makedonskata revolucionarna borba23 October23 OctoberIt marks the day when the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) was established in 1893.
8 December Saint Clement of Ohrid Day [2] Св. Климент Охридски, Sv. Kliment Ohridski8 December9 December 
1 Shawwal Eid al-Fitr Рамазан Бајрам, Ramazan Bajram21 April [3] 10 April [3] Islamic calendar
Girl from Kumanovo is decorating a Christmas tree. Girl and Christmas tree in Kumanovo 1962.png
Girl from Kumanovo is decorating a Christmas tree.

Besides these, there are several major religious and ethnic communities' holidays:

DateEnglish nameMacedonian name2023 date2024 dateCelebrated by
6 January Christmas Eve Бадник, Badnik6 January6 January Orthodox Christians
19 January Baptism of Jesus Водици, Vodici19 January19 JanuaryOrthodox Christians
8 April International Romani Day Меѓународен ден на Ромите, Megjunaroden den na Romite8 April8 April Ethnic Romani people
5 May Macedonian Language Day Ден на македонскиот јазик, Den na makedonskiot jazik5 May5 MayA working holiday since 2019, it marks the day when the government of Yugoslav Macedonia adopted the Macedonian alphabet as the official script of the republic. [5] [6]
23 May Aromanian National Day [2] Национален ден на Власите, Nacionalen den na Vlasite23 May23 May Ethnic Aromanians
28 August Assumption of Mary Успение на Пресвета Богородица, Uspenie na Presveta Bogorodica28 August28 AugustOrthodox Christians
28 SeptemberInternational Bosniaks DayМеѓународен ден на Бошњаците, Megjunaroden den na Boshnjacite28 September28 September Ethnic Bosniaks
1 November All Saints' Day Сите Светци, Site Svetci1 November1 November Catholics and Protestants
22 November Albanian Alphabet Day [2] Ден на Албанската азбука, Den na Albanskata azbuka22 November22 November Ethnic Albanians
21 December Turkish Language Education DayДен на настава на турски јазик, Den na nastava na turski jazik21 December21 December Ethnic Turks
25 December Christmas Божиќ, Božiḱ25 December25 DecemberCatholics and Protestants
variable Good Friday Велики Петок, Veliki Petok14 April3 MayOrthodox Christians
variable Good Friday Велики Петок, Veliki Petok10 April [3] 1 April [3] Catholics and Protestants
variable Pentecost Духовден, Duhovden2 June [3] 21 June [3] Orthodox Christians, 7 weeks after Good Friday
10 Tishrei Yom Kippur Јом Кипур, Jom Kipur25 September [3] 12 October [3] Jews
10 Dhu al-Hijjah Eid al-Adha Курбан Бајрам, Kurban Bajram28 June [3] 16 June [3] Muslims

See also

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References

  1. According to the Law on Holidays, issued in "Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia", number 21/98 and 18/07, 2007, see here, retrieved on 17 November 2008. (in Macedonian)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Šari, Ljiljana; Gammelgaard, Karen; Rå Hauge, Kjetil, eds. (2012). Transforming National Holidays: Identity Discourse in the West and South Slavic Countries, 1985-2010. John Benjamins Publishing. p. 15. ISBN   9789027206381.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Holiday Calendar | U.S. Embassy in North Macedonia". U.S. Embassy in North Macedonia. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  4. 1 2 Victor Roudometof (2002). Collective Memory, National Identity, and Ethnic Conflict: Greece, Bulgaria, and the Macedonian Question. Praeger. p. 11. ISBN   9780275976484.
  5. "5 мај – Ден на македонскиот јазик". Филолошки факултет "Блаже Конески" – Скопје (in Macedonian). Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  6. "Од 130-тата седница на Владата на РСМ: 5 Мај прогласен за Ден на македонскиот јазик". Влада на Република Северна Македонија (in Macedonian). 16 April 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2023.