Public holidays in Egypt
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Holidays in Egypt have many classifications. There are a set of public holidays celebrated by the entire population. There are four Islamic holidays and two Christian holidays.
National holidays
The following holidays are celebrated across the country, with the government offices and ministries closed. These holidays are either national secular holidays or important religious holidays.
Date | English name | Arabic name | Description |
1 January | New Year | رأس السنة الميلادية | Celebrating the new year |
January 7 | Christmas | عيد الميلاد المجيد | Celebrates the nativity of Jesus Christ, according to the Coptic Calendar (29 Koiak) |
January 25 | Revolution Day 2011[1] National Police Day |
عيد ثورة 25 يناير عيد الشرطة |
Celebrates the day of the beginning of the Egyptian revolution of 2011, protesting the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak. Celebrates the anniversary of Police officers resistance against the British Army in 1952 during the final months of the colonial era. |
April 25 | Sinai Liberation Day | عيد تحرير سيناء | Celebrates the final withdrawal of all Israeli military forces from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982. |
May 1 | Labour Day | عيد العمال | |
June 30 | Revolution Day 2013 | عيد ثورة 30 يونيو | Celebrates the June 2013 Egyptian protests, which saw Islamist president Mohamed Morsi deposed by the military. |
July 23 | Revolution Day | عيد ثورة 23 يوليو | Celebrates the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 |
October 6 | Armed Forces Day | عيد القوات المسلحة | Celebrates Egypt's initial military success in the October War. |
Some government-related offices, including most universities, are also closed on the Coptic Orthodox date of Epiphany, 19 January.
Movable holidays
The following days are public holidays but the date on which each occurs varies, either because the date is fixed relative to the lunar Islamic calendar or (in the case of Sham El Nessim) has no fixed date in any calendar. In order in which they occur:
Date | English name | Arabic name | Description |
April or May | Sham El Nessim (Spring festival) | شم النسيم | The Monday following Orthodox Easter |
1 Muharram | Islamic New Year | عيد رأس السنة الهجرية | The first day of the year based on the lunar Islamic calendar (1 Muharram) |
12 Rabi' al-Awwal | Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (Sunni) | المولد النبوي الشريف | The birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, according to the Sunni account (12 Rabi al-Awwal) |
1 - 3 Shawwal | Eid al-Fitr | عيد الفطر المبارك | Breaking of the fast of Ramadan, for three days (1-3 Shawwal) |
10 - 13 Zul-Higga | Eid al-Adha | عيد الأضحى المبارك | End of the Hajj and commemoration of the Sacrifice of Abraham, for four days (10-13 Dhu al-Hijjah) |
References
- "World Holidays -> Egypt 2006". Oanda Corporation.
- "Egypt Holidays". Planetware.