Holidays

holidays in Poland

Regulated by the Day of Rest Act of January 18, 1951, Poland has a large number of church and state holidays. Especially in the case of the feast days of the ecclesiastical year, old traditions are taken up and maintained.

As a holidaymaker, you must be prepared for the fact that on all public holidays, work is at rest, so you can easily find yourself in front of closed doors. According to the law, employees are not allowed to do any work on public holidays that can also be done on working days. However, there are now generous exceptions: Self-employed business owners who work in their own shop, for example, are still allowed to decide on their opening hours alone.

Overview

New Year’s Day – on January 1

Holy Three Kings – on January 6

Easter Sunday – after the first full moon of spring

Easter Monday – one day after Easter Sunday

National Holiday – on May 1

Constitution Day – on May 3

Pentecost – 49 days after Easter Sunday

Front Corpus Christi – 60 days after Easter Sunday

Ascension of Mary – on August 15

All Saints’ Day – on November 1

Polish Independence Day – on November 11

1st Christmas Day – on December 25

2nd Christmas Day – on December 26

Worth knowing about selected holidays

Constitution Day

May 3 marks the anniversary of the signing of the Polish Constitution in 1791 in Poland, which is considered within Europe to be the first modern constitution in the spirit of the Enlightenment – and the second such constitution in the world (after the United States).

Front Corpus Christi

Front Corpus Christi is dedicated to the memory of the Last Supper. Many colorful processions take place, their routes decorated with flowers and green branches. In many places, texts from the Gospel are recited at each of four stations. Girls and boys accompany the processions, with the girls scattering flowers and the boys ringing small bells.

Mary’s Ascension

In addition to the religious occasion of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, there is another reason to celebrate on August 15. It commemorates the Battle of Warsaw from August 13 to 25, 1920, in which Polish troops defeated the Red Army. This “Miracle on the Vistula” is commemorated annually with “Armed Forces Day”.

Christmas

Christmas has a high significance in Catholic Poland. The most important day is Christmas Eve. The festivities in the family circle do not begin until the first star has appeared in the sky. As a prelude, consecrated wafers are shared and wishes are made for the fulfilment of each other’s wishes. Often, even the animals of the household are included in this custom.

On Christmas Eve, many Poles abstain from meat. Twelve meatless dishes are served, which has its origin in the number of apostles. After dinner, children are given presents before going to midnight mass together.