This Egypt travel information provides you with the details on the public holidays of Egypt and how they are celebrated.
Egypt is a Muslim Country
The nation of Egypt is a Muslim country, and most of their public holidays mark religious events. There are, however, a fair share of days set to mark governmental and historic events, and those marking certain Coptic Christian events as well, though some of these are not noted with traditional public closings or festivities.
The Holy Month of Ramadan
Most Muslim festival periods, denoted by specific public holidays in Egypt, are usually timed to coincide with local appearances of certain phases of the moon. For example, the most well known of the holy events throughout the Muslim world is the period called “Ramadan”, which begins with the arrival of the crescent moon in the evening sky.
Ramadan lasts for thirty days, during which Muslims refrain from eating (fast) during the daytime hours, and eat their meals from sunset to sunrise.
During Ramadan visitors to Egyptian cities may notice that cafes are particularly busy during the evening hours, as hungry residents partake of their first meals of the day. The closing of Ramadan is marked by another festival, the Eid al-Fitr, which is also a time of celebration and feasting, and the official closing of Ramadan called “Bairam”.
Other “Movable” Public Holidays
Other “movable” public holidays, those based on celestial events, include the “Islamic New Year”, which is generally during January. The Prophet Mohamed’s birthday, which is usually during the month of March, and the Sacrifice or Grand Feast, traditionally held in December
National Public Holidays
National public holidays in Egypt, all with fixed dates, include the January seventh observation of Christmas according to the Coptic Orthodox Church. The national holiday on April 25 noting of Sinai Liberation Day which marks the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
The May first celebration of Labour Day; the July twenty-third celebration of Revolution Day (since the 1952 Revolution), and the October sixth celebration of Armed Forces Day, which marks the crossing of the Suez Canal by Egypt during the October War of 1973 are all also marked with closings of government and ministry offices.
Other Holidays
There are several other holidays that are widely accepted, but do not necessarily close government and ministry offices.
These can include the January first “new year’s day”, the March first “sportsmen’s day” which celebrates all of the nation’s sportsmen, the March twenty first “mother’s day”, the June eighteenth “Evacuation Day” which marks the evacuation of foreign troops in 1954, and the December twenty-third celebration of “victory day” which marks the end of the Suez Crisis in 1957.
Most official public holidays see the closing of government and ministry offices, and many Fridays see the observation of the Muslim holy day. Most hotels are able to explain any affects that public holidays in Egypt will have on the daily plans of foreign visitors and guests.
