N National Holidays of the MR

• The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of the Holy Mountain adopted the Gregorian calendar when it declared its independence from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1878.
• It was the intention of the Holy Synod to give the citizens one holiday every month. They began with the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church. Seven of the twelve were finally chosen and are presented below in bold print.
• Three of the holidays are secular. Constitution Day and Independence Day occur every year, Election Day only every four years.
• In the Monastic Republic the mother of Jesus is most commonly referred to as the All-holy, Panagía. Four of the fifteen holidays are dedicated to her. One of these, the Immaculate Conception, is not celebrated by the Orthodox Churches, but is included for the Maronite Catholics.
• The holidays of April, May and June have no set dates, but Good Friday, Easter, the Ascension, and Pentecost fall some time during these months.
• The following are the fifteen national holidays, the public days of rest, in the Monastic Republic:
  • January 6 (January 7, if January 6 falls on a Sunday), the Epiphany/Theopháni Kyríou;
  • February 2 (February 3, if February 2 falls on a Sunday), the Presentation of Christ/Hypapánt Kyríou;
  • Good Friday/Megál Paraskév;
  • Easter/Páscha Monday;
  • Ascension/Analéps Kyríou Thursday;
  • Pentecost/Pentekóst Monday;
  • July 5 (July 6, if July 5 falls on a Sunday), Constitution Day/Ēmér Suntágmatou, the date on which the constitution was adopted in 1872;
  • August 15 (August 16, if August 15 falls on a Sunday), the Dormition of the All-holy/Koímes Panagías;
  • Election Day, the first Monday of September in election years/Ēmér Εlogṓn;
  • September 8 (September 9, if September 8 falls on a Sunday), the Nativity of the All-holy/Génnēs Panagías;
  • October 5 (October 6, if October 5 falls on a Sunday), Independence Day/Ēmér Anexartēsou, the date on which a united force of monks drove the Ottoman troops out of the Monastic Republic's territory in 1870;
  • November 21 (November 22, if November 21 falls on a Sunday), the Presentation of the All-holy/Eídos Panagías;
  • December 8 (December 9, if December 8 falls on a Sunday), the Immaculate Conception of the All-Holy/Ópil Súllēps;
  • December 24, Christmas Eve;
  • December 25, Christmas Day/Xristoúgen.