Public holidays in Lebanon
The primary national holiday is Independence Day which is celebrated on November 22.[1]
National holidays
[edit]| Date | English Name | Arabic Name | French Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | رأس السنة[2] | Nouvel an | |
| January 6 | Epiphany and Armenian Christmas | عيد الظهور الإلهي عيد الميلاد - الأرمن الأرثودكس[2] |
Épiphanie Noël Arménien |
The latter holiday was officially recognized in Lebanon in 2003.[3] It is exclusively celebrated by Armenians in Lebanon.[4] |
| February 9 | Saint Maroun's Day | عيد مار مارون | Fête de Saint-Maron | The holiday is celebrated by the Maronites, hence the name. |
| February 14 | Rafic Hariri Memorial Day | يوم اغتيال رفيق الحريري | Jour de l'assassinat de Rafic Hariri | National day of mourning remembering the Assassination of Rafic Hariri in 2005.[5] |
| March 25 | Feast of the Annunciation | عيد البشارة | Fête de l'Annonciation | Observed by both Christians and Muslims[6] |
| Friday immediately before Easter Sunday | Good Friday | جمعة الآلام[2] | Vendredi Saint | Both the Eastern and Western dates are observed. Also called الجمعة العظيمة in Arabic.[2] |
| moveable | Easter Sunday | الفصح المجيد[2] | Pâques | Both the Eastern and Western dates are observed.[2] |
| May 1 | Labour Day | عيد العمّال | Fête du Travail | |
| May 25 | Liberation and Resistance Day | عيد المقاومة و التحرير | Fête de la Libération et Résistance | Withdrawal of the Israeli Army from Southern Lebanon in 2000. |
| August 15 | Feast of the Assumption | عيد إنتقال العذراء[2] | Assomption de Marie | |
| November 22 | Independence Day | عيد الإستقلال[2] | Fête nationale | Lebanon gained its independence from France in 1943. |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | عيد الميلاد | Noël | |
| Dates following the lunar Islamic calendar | ||||
| 1 Muharram | Islamic New Year | رأس السنة الهجرية[2] | Nouvel an islamique | In French, it is also known as 1er Muharram.[7] |
| 10 Muharram | Day of Ashura | ذكرى عاشوراء[2] | Fête de l’Achoura[7] | Maqtal al-Husayn is sometimes read on this day. |
| 12 Rabi' al-awwal | Mawlid | مولد النبي | Mawlid | The holiday is celebrated on 12 Rabi' al-awwal by the Sunnis while it is celebrated on 17 Rabi' al-awwal by the Shi'ites. Also known as mouloud, mouled, maoulide or Mawlid al-Nabi in French.[7] |
| 1 Shawwal | Eid al-Fitr | عيد الفطر | Aïd el-Fitr | The holiday lasts for three days until 3 Shawwal. Also known as Id-ul-Fitr, Eid, and the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. |
| 10 Dhu al-Hijjah | Eid al-Adha | عيد الأضحى | Aïd el-Kebir | The holiday lasts three days, ending on 13 Dhu al-Hijjah. Also known as la Fête du sacrifice, Aïd al Adha, or Eid el-Kebir in French.[7] |
Other Holidays
[edit]| Date | English name | Arabic name | French name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 15 | St. Vartan Day | Only celebrated by the Armenian population in Lebanon.[4][8] | ||
| March 9 | Teachers' Day | عيد المعلم | Fête des professeurs | The holiday ends on March 9. |
| March 21 | Mother's Day | عيد الأم | Fête des Mères | The holiday also falls on the Vernal Equinox. |
| May 6 | Martyrs' Day | عيد الشهداء | Jour des martyrs | Syrian and Lebanese national holiday commemorating the Syrian and Lebanese nationalists executed in Damascus and Beirut on May 6, 1916 by Jamal Pasha. |
| November 1 | All Saints' Day | عيد جميع القديسين | Toussaint | |
| moveable | Ascension Day | عيد الصعود | Jour de l'Ascension | |
| September 8 | Nativity of Mary | ميلاد مريم العذراء | Nativité de Marie | |
| December 4 | Saint Barbara's Day | عيد البربارة | Jour de Barbara |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "National holiday", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, archived from the original on June 13, 2007, retrieved 20 December 2009
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j holidays 2009 in Lebanon, archived from the original on 2008-04-19, retrieved 2009-08-30
- ^ "Armenian Christmas Becomes National Holiday in Lebanon", Middle East, Lebanon: Asbarez.com, 2003-01-07, retrieved 2009-08-30
- ^ a b Figuié, Gérard (1998), "La population", Le point sur le Liban (in French), Maisonneuve & Larose, ISBN 978-2-7068-1314-6, retrieved 2009-08-30
- ^ "Rafik Hariri Memorial Day in Lebanon in 2025".
- ^ "Upcoming Lebanon Public Holidays (Middle East)". The qppstudio.net website. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
- ^ a b c d Fêtes juives et Fêtes islamiques 2008-2011 (in French), Switzerland: Armée suisse, 2009-02-06, archived from the original on 2009-05-04, retrieved 2009-08-30
- ^ a b "Lebanon", International Religious Freedom Report 2006, BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR, retrieved 2009-08-30
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