Coptic Christmas Religious
Coptic Christmas is celebrated on 7 January by Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Christians and is an official public holiday for all Egyptians.
Arab Public Holidays
Complete Guide to Public Holidays in Arab Countries
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Egypt
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coptic Christmas | Friday | 10 Shaban 1449 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| 25 January Revolution Day | Tuesday | 28 Shaban 1449 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Fitr Expected | Saturday | 1 Shawwal 1449 AH | 3 days (26 February – 28 February) | Religious | |
| Sham el-Nessim | Monday | 22 Dhu al-Qadah 1449 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Sinai Liberation Day | Tuesday | 30 Dhu al-Qadah 1449 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Labour Day | Monday | 6 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Arafat Day Expected | Thursday | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Eid al-Adha Expected | Friday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH | 3 days (5 May – 7 May) | Religious | |
| Islamic New Year Expected | Thursday | 1 Muharram 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| 30 June Revolution Day | Friday | 7 Safar 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| 23 July Revolution Day | Sunday | 1 Rabi al-Awwal 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Prophet's Birthday Expected | Thursday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Armed Forces Day | Friday | 17 Jumada al-Ula 1450 AH | 1 day | National |
Weekend days: Friday and Saturday
Note: Religious holiday dates may vary based on moon sighting and could change by one day. Please check official sources for confirmation.
Plan your vacations! There are 5 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
4 days off 25 February – 28 February
Eid al-Fitr
4 days off 4 May – 7 May
Arafat Day + Eid al-Adha
3 days off 25 May – 27 May
Islamic New Year
3 days off 21 July – 23 July
23 July Revolution Day
3 days off 3 August – 5 August
Prophet's Birthday
Public holiday Weekend
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 — Coptic Christmas | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 — 25 January Revolution Day | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 — Eid al-Fitr |
| 27 — Eid al-Fitr | 28 — Eid al-Fitr | 29 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 — Sham el-Nessim | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 — Sinai Liberation Day | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Labour Day | 2 | 3 | 4 — Arafat Day | 5 — Eid al-Adha | 6 — Eid al-Adha | |
| 7 — Eid al-Adha | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 — Islamic New Year | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 — 30 June Revolution Day |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 — 23 July Revolution Day | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 — Prophet's Birthday | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 — Armed Forces Day | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 |
Egypt has one of the most diverse public holiday calendars in the Arab world, combining national commemorations, Islamic religious observances, and a unique Coptic Christian holiday. Uniquely among Arab countries, Egypt observes Coptic Christmas on 7 January as an official public holiday, reflecting the significant presence of the Coptic Orthodox Church and the country's ancient Christian heritage. National holidays include the 25 January Revolution, Sinai Liberation Day on 25 April, Labour Day, and the 23 July Revolution. Islamic religious holidays follow the lunar Hijri calendar, with dates officially confirmed by Dar Al-Iftaa Egypt based on moon sighting observations. Public holidays that fall mid-week are often moved to Thursday by cabinet decision to create a long weekend. Egypt's economy rests on tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and remittances, with the standard work week running Sunday through Thursday and the weekend on Friday and Saturday. Islamic holidays shift about eleven days earlier each Gregorian year due to the shorter lunar Hijri calendar.
Official source: Government of Egypt
Coptic Christmas is celebrated on 7 January by Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Christians and is an official public holiday for all Egyptians.
25 January commemorates the 2011 revolution in Egypt and also coincides with National Police Day.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and falls on 1 Shawwal in the Hijri calendar. Families attend the Eid prayer in the morning, visit relatives and exchange gifts, and children traditionally receive Eidiya money. The exact start is confirmed by moon sighting, so the date can move by one day. See Eid 2028 dates for all Arab countries.
Sham el-Nessim is an ancient Egyptian spring festival held on the Monday after Coptic Easter. Families picnic outdoors and eat traditional dishes such as feseekh and coloured eggs.
Sinai Liberation Day on 25 April marks the final Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982.
Labour Day on 1 May honours workers and the labour movement. In Egypt government offices, banks and most businesses close for the day.
Arafat Day falls on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah, when pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for the most important rite of the Hajj. Many Muslims who are not on pilgrimage fast on this day. It immediately precedes Eid al-Adha.
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, begins on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the day after pilgrims stand at Mount Arafat during the Hajj. Muslims perform the Eid prayer and many sacrifice a sheep or other livestock, sharing the meat with family, neighbours and those in need. It is the longest public holiday of the year in most Arab countries. See Eid 2028 dates for all Arab countries.
The Islamic New Year (Ras al-Sana al-Hijriya) falls on 1 Muharram and marks the start of a new Hijri year, commemorating the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is a quiet, reflective holiday rather than a festive one.
30 June commemorates the mass protests of 2013 in Egypt.
23 July marks the 1952 revolution that ended the monarchy in Egypt and is the country's national day.
Al-Mawlid al-Nabawi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi al-Awwal. In Egypt it is an official holiday, often marked with religious lectures, poetry recitals in praise of the Prophet and traditional sweets.
Armed Forces Day on 6 October commemorates the crossing of the Suez Canal in the October War of 1973.
Egypt has 13 public holidays in 2028: 7 national and 6 religious, adding up to about 17 days off.
Eid al-Fitr in Egypt is expected on Saturday, 26 February 2028 (1 Shawwal 1449 AH), with 3 days off (26 February to 28 February). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
Eid al-Adha in Egypt is expected on Friday, 5 May 2028 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH), with 3 days off (5 May to 7 May). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
The official weekend in Egypt is Friday and Saturday.
There are 5 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 4 days, from 25 February to 28 February.