Public holidays are celebrated by the entire population of Egypt. Holidays in Egypt have many classifications. Some holidays are religious and others are secular, while some can be fixed holidays on the calendar while others are movable. There are four Islamic holidays and two Christian holidays. The National Day of Egypt is celebrated on July, 23 which coincides with the annual celebration of the Egyptian revolution of 1952 when the modern republic of Egypt was declared, ending the period of the Kingdom of Egypt.
Government offices and ministries in Egypt rest on Friday of each week. In addition, banks and many institutes have non-working days on Saturday too which is an official resting-day or Sunday which is not official but commonly used as a resting-day by non-governmental institutes and shops with Christian religious observance. Some barbershops and hairdressers close their shops on Monday instead of Friday, Saturday and Sunday when they keep their shops open.
National holidays The following holidays are celebrated across the country, where government offices and ministries are closed. These holidays are either national secular holidays or important religious holidays.
Fixed holidays The following holidays occur annually on a fixed day of the calendar:
Date English name Arabic name DescriptionJanuary 7Christmas Dayعيد الميلاد المجيدCelebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, according to the Coptic calendar (29 Koiak) (It could be classified as movable, as it traditionally follows the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar)January 25Revolution Day 2011National Police Dayعيد ثورة 25 ينايرعيد الشرطةCelebrates the day of the beginning of the Egyptian revolution of 2011, protesting the 29-year rule of Hosni Mubarak.Celebrates the anniversary of Police officers' resistance against the British Army in 1952 during the final months of the Kingdom of Egypt.April 25Sinai Liberation Dayعيد تحرير سيناءCelebrates the final withdrawal of all Israeli military forces from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982.May 1Labour Dayعيد العمالJune 3030 June Dayعيد ثورة 30 يونيوObserves the June 2013 Egyptian protests, which saw President Mohamed Morsi deposed by the military a few days later.July 23Revolution Dayعيد ثورة 23 يوليوCelebrates the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 which led to the declaration of the modern republic of Egypt. This is considered the National Day of Egypt.October 6Armed Forces Dayعيد القوات المسلحةCelebrates Egypt's military forces. The date is based on Egypt and Syria's invasion of Israel in the Yom Kippur War, which eventually led to the return of the Sinai Peninsula from Israeli occupation back to Egyptian sovereignty.
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 DescriptionApril or MaySham El Nessim (Spring Festival)شم النسيمThe Monday following Orthodox Easter1 MuharramIslamic New Yearعيد رأس السنة الهجريةThe first day of the year based on the lunar Islamic calendar (1 Muharram)12 Rabi' al-AwwalProphet Muhammad's Birthdayالمولد النبوي الشريفThe birthday of Muhammad, according to the Sunni account (12 Rabi al-Awwal)1–3 ShawwalEid al-Fitrعيد الفطر المباركBreaking of the fast of Ramadan, for three days (1-3 Shawwal)10–13 Zul-HiggaEid al-Adhaعيد الأضحى المباركEnd of the Hajj and commemoration of the Sacrifice of Abraham, for four days (10-13 Dhu al-Hijjah)
References
External links National Holidays - Egyptian Presidency