Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

is the country with the most

holidays A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or t ...

in the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are located primarily in Europe, Europe. The union has a total area of ...

. Since 2005, any holidays falling on Saturdays or Sundays do not add an extra day to the workers' leave pool.

National holidays

* 31 March: Freedom Day ('Jum il-Ħelsien') * 7 June:

Sette Giugno Sette Giugno (from Italian for "Seventh of June") is a Maltese national holiday celebrated annually on 7 June. It commemorates events which occurred on that day in 1919 when, following a series of riots by the Maltese population, British troops ...

* 8 September: Victory Day ('Jum il-Vitorja') * 21 September:

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Many ...

('Jum l-Indipendenza') * 13 December: Republic Day ('Jum ir-Repubblika')

Public holidays

* 1 January:

New Year's Day New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Whi ...

('L-Ewwel tas-Sena') * 10 February: Feast of

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

's Shipwreck in Malta ('Nawfraġju ta' San Pawl') - Saint Paul is the patron saint of Malta * 19 March: Feast of

Saint Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers ...

('San Ġużepp') * Friday before Easter:

Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Holy ...

('Il-Ġimgħa l-Kbira') * 1 May: Worker's Day ('Jum il-Ħaddiem') * 29 June: Feast of

Saint Peter ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64–68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupat ...

;

, patron saints ('L-Imnarja') * 15 August: Feast of the

Assumption of Our Lady The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution ''Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows: We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by Go ...

('Santa Marija') * 8 December: Feast of the Immaculate Conception ('Il-Kunċizzjoni') * 25 December:

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

('Il-Milied')

Traditional Feasts

The following is a list of feasts or special days celebrated in Malta. Note that, with the exception of the dates mentioned in the previous section, these feasts are not public holidays and on these days, business runs as usual across the Maltese islands. As Malta is largely Roman Catholic, most of these feasts celebrate Saints or events from the Holy Bible.

January

January is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tal-bard' ('the month of the cold') *1 January: New Year's Day ('L-Ewwel tas-Sena' or 'L-Istrina') *First Sunday after 1 January: Epiphany ('Epifanija' or 'It-Tre Re') *13 January: Saint Anthony the Abbot ('San Anton Abbati') in

Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populatio ...

*25 January: Conversion of Saint Paul ('Konverżjoni ta' San Pawl') in

Mdina Mdina ( mt, L-Imdina ; phn, 𐤌𐤋𐤈, Maleṭ; grc, Μελίττη, Melíttē; ar, مدينة, Madīnah; ), also known by its Italian-language titles ("Old City") and ("Notable City"), is a fortified city in the Northern Region of Ma ...

February

February by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar ta' San Pawl' ('Saint Paul's month') *2 February: Candlemas ('Gandlora') *3 February: Saint Blase ('San Blas') *10 February: Saint Paul's Shipwreck ('San Pawl Nawfragu') in

Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an administrative unit and capital of Malta. Located on the main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, its population within administrative limits in 2014 ...

, Marsalforn and

Munxar Munxar ( mt, Il-Munxar) is an administrative unit of Malta, which lies on the southern side of island of Gozo. As of March 2014, its population was 1,454 people. Close by to this village, there is Xlendi Bay, a popular tourist resort engulfed ...

*14 February: Saint Valentine ('San Valentinu')

March

March by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar ta' San Ġużepp, tal-Lunzjata u tar-roħs' ('The month of Saint Joseph, the Annunciation and Sales') *19 March: Saint Joseph ('San Ġużepp') in

*25 March: Annunciation ('Il-Lunzjata') *27 March: Jesus of Nazareth ('Ġesù Nazzarenu') in

Sliema Sliema ( mt, Tas-Sliema ) is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Northern Harbour District. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. It is also the most densely po ...

*31 March: Freedom Day ('Jum il-Ħelsien')

April

April is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tan-nwhar u ta' San Girgor' ('the month of blossoms and Saint Gregory'). *1 April: April Fool's Day ('Il-Ġifa') *First Wednesday after Easter Sunday: Saint Gregory ('San Girgor') *6 April: Saint Publius ('San Publju') in Floriana *23 April: Saint George ('San Ġorġ') in

Qormi Qormi ( mt, Ħal Qormi ; pronounced in the Qormi dialect), also known by its title Città Pinto, is a city in the Southern Region of Malta, southwest of Valletta in the centre of the island. It has a population of 16,324 (as of March 2018), mak ...

and Victoria The following feasts are moveable, as they can occur either in March or in April. *Friday before Palm Sunday – Our Lady of Sorrows ('Id-Duluri') *Palm Sunday ('Ħadd il-Palm') *Good Friday ('Il-Ġimgħa l-Kbira') *Easter ('L-Għid' or 'L-Irxoxt')

May

May by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar tal-ħsad u tal-Madonna ta' Pompej' ('the month of harvest and Our Lady of Pompeii') *1 May: Saint Joseph the Worker
www.sanguzepphaddiem.com
'San Ġużepp Ħaddiem' or 'Jum il-Ħaddiem') with a feast in Ħamrun and

Birkirkara Birkirkara (abbreviated as B'Kara) is a city in the central region of Malta. It is the second most populous on the island, with 24,356 inhabitants as of 2020. The town consists of five autonomous parishes: Saint Helen, Saint Joseph the Worker, Ou ...

*2 May: Our Lady of Liesse ('Il-Madonna ta' Liesse') in

*3 May: Feast of the Cross ('Santu Kruċ') in

; St. Augustine ('Santu Wistin') in

*9 May: Liturgical Feast of Saint George Preca ('San Ġorġ Preca') *31 May: Holy Trinity ('Trinità Mqaddsa') in Marsa *22 May: Saint Rita ('Santa Rita') in

*24 May: The Annunciation ('Il-Lunzjata') in

Tarxien Tarxien ( mt, Ħal Tarxien) is a town in the South Eastern Region of Malta. Its population stood at 8583 in March 2014. The town is most notable for the Tarxien Temples, a megalithic temple complex which is among the oldest freestanding struct ...

*24 May: Saint Paul ('San Pawl') in

*24 May: Saint Joseph ('San Ġużepp') in Għaxaq *31 May: Saint Anthony of Padua ('Sant' Antnin ta' Padova') in

*Second Sunday of May: Mother's Day ('Jum l-Omm')

June

June by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar tad-dris, tal-ħġejjeġ, tal-Imnarja, u tal-Qalb ta' Ġesù' ('the month of reaping, bonfires, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus') *First Sunday of June: Saint Joseph ('San Ġużepp') in Għaxaq *2 June: Our Lady of Fatima ('Il-Madonna ta' Fatima') in

Pietà, Malta Pietà ( mt, Tal-Pietà) is a small town in the Central Region of Malta, located near the outskirts of the capital city Valletta. Pietà is the suburb next-closest to the capital after Floriana. Its name is derived from Italian and signifies " ...

*9 June: Saint Jack *21 June: Christ the Redeemer ('Kristu Redentur') in Senglea *14 June: Saint Philip ('San Filep') in Żebbuġ, Malta *14 June: Corpus Christi in

Għasri Għasri ( mt, L-Għasri) is an administrative unit of Malta, in the western part of the island of Gozo, with a population of 525 people (as of March 2014). By population, it is the smallest village in Gozo after San Lawrenz, and the third-smalle ...

; Sacred Heart of Jesus ('Il-Qalb ta' Ġesù') in

Fontana, Gozo Fontana ( mt, Il-Fontana) is an administrative unit of Malta, on the island of Gozo, with a population of 985 people (as of March 2014). History Fontana originated from the suburb of Victoria on the Rabat-Xlendi road. Its local name is "It-Tri ...

*21 June: Our Lady of Lily ('Il-Madonna tal-Ġilju') in Mqabba; Saint Catherine ('Santa Katarina') in Żejtun; Saint John the Baptist ('San Ġwann Battista') in Xewkija *22 June: Our Lady of Lourdes ('Il-Madonna ta' Lourdes') in Qrendi *Third Sunday of June: Father's Day ('Jum il-Missier') *29 June: Saint Nicholas ('San Nikola') in

Siġġiewi Siġġiewi ( mt, Is-Siġġiewi, ), also called by its title Città Ferdinand, is a city and a local council in the Southern Region of Malta. It is the third largest council in Malta by surface area, after Rabat and Mellieħa respectively. It ...

; Our Lady of Sacred Heart ('Il-Qalb Bla Tebgħa ta' Marija') in

Burmarrad Burmarrad is a hamlet in St. Paul's Bay, Malta. The main heritage site is the San Pawl Milqi zone, where there is a chapel dedicated to St. Paul, built on the remains of a Roman temple dedicated to Apollo, and tradition says to be the remains of ...

; Saint Peter and Saint Paul ('San Pietru u San Pawl: L-Imnarja') in

and Nadur *Fourth/Last Sunday of June: Saint John ('San Ġwann'); Saint George ('San Ġorġ') in

July

July by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar tal-Karmnu' ('Our Lady of Mount Carmel's month'). *First Sunday of the month: Sacro Cuor ('Our Lady of the Sacred Heart') in

*5 July: The Visitation ('Il-Viżitazzjoni') in

Għarb Għarb ( mt, L-Għarb) is an administrative unit of Malta, located at the westernmost point of the island of Gozo, with a population of 1,539 people (as of March 2014). History Għarb started as a small hamlet which developed around the middle ...

; Saint Paul ('San Pawl') in

; Our Lady of Sacred Heart ('Sacro Cuor') in

; Saint Andrew ('Sant' Andrija'): in

Luqa Luqa ( mt, Ħal Luqa, , ) is a town located in the Southern Region of Malta, 4.3 km away from the capital Valletta. With a population of 5,945 as of March 2014, it is a small but densely populated settlement which is typical of Malta's old ...

; Our Lady of Lourdes ('Il-Madonna ta' Lourdes') in Qrendi; Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Fleur-de-Lys *12 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in

Fgura Fgura ( mt, Il-Fgura, it, Figura) is a town in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It has a population of 13,066 as of 2021. Its northern fringes are bordered by the Cottonera Lines of fortifications while it merges with the towns of Żabbar to ...

*13 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Gżira *16 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel ('Il-Madonna tal-Karmnu') in

*19 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in

and

*20 July: Our Lady of Sorrows ('Marija Sultana Tal-Martri') in

San Pawl Il-Baħar St. Paul's Bay ( mt, San Pawl il-Baħar) is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, sixteen kilometres () northwest of the capital Valletta. Saint Paul's Bay is the largest town in the Northern Region and the seat of the Northern Regional Comm ...

*26 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in

Balluta Bay Balluta Bay is a bay on the northeast coast of Malta within St. Julian's. It is a popular recreation spot used for swimming, diving, and water sports, with a triangular ''pjazza'' surrounded by cafés and shaded by Judas trees. Its skyline is ...

( San Ġiljan); Saint Anne ('Sant' Anna') in

Marsaskala Marsaskala ( mt, Wied il-Għajn), also written as Marsascala and abbreviated as M'Skala, is a seaside town in the South Eastern Region of Malta which has grown around the small harbour at the head of Marsaskala Bay, a long, narrow inlet also kno ...

*Second Sunday of July: Saint Joseph ('San Ġużepp') in

Kirkop Kirkop ( mt, Ħal Kirkop) is a village in the Southern Region of Malta. It is found near the Malta International Airport, and has been inhabited since pre-history. The parish church is dedicated to Saint Leonard. The football team of the villag ...

; the Annunciation ('Marija Annunzjata') in

Balzan Balzan ( mt, Ħal Balzan) is a municipality in the Central Region of Malta, one of the so-called three villages, together with Attard and Lija. The village originally consisted of a group of small dwellings and farms but eventually grew, becom ...

*Third Sunday of July: Saint George (San Gorg) in Victoria; Saint Sebastian ('San Bastjan') in Hal

; Sacred Family ('Sagra Familja') in Bidnija *27 July: Saint Venera ('Santa Venera') in Santa Venera; Mount Carmel* ('Madonna Tal-Karmnu') in

Żurrieq Żurrieq ( mt, Iż-Żurrieq ) is a town in the Southern Region of Malta. It is one of the oldest towns in the country, and it has a population of 11,823 inhabitants as of March 2014. The first documentation about it being a parish dates back to ...

*Last Sunday of July: Christ the King ('Kristu Re') in

Paola, Malta Paola ( mt, Raħal Ġdid, it, Casal Nuovo, both meaning "New Town") is a town in the South Eastern Region of Malta, with 8,706 inhabitants as of 2019. The town is a commercial centre in the Southern Harbour area of Malta, about 5 km from th ...

August

August by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar tal-frott, ta' Santa Marija u ta' San Lawrenz' ('the month of fruit, Saint Mary and Saint Lawrence'). *First Sunday of August: Saint Peter in Chains ('San Pietru fil-Ktajjen') in Birżebbuġa *10 August: Saint Lawrence ('San Lawrenz') in

Birgu Birgu ( mt, Il-Birgu , it, Vittoriosa), also known by its title Città Vittoriosa ("''Victorious City''"), is an old fortified city on the south side of the Grand Harbour in the South Eastern Region of Malta. The city occupies a promontory of ...

and San Lawrenz *11 August: Saint Gaetan ('San Gejtanu') in Ħamrun *15 August: The Seven Saint Marys ('Is-Seba' Santa Marijiet') in Għaxaq, Mqabba, Qrendi,

Gudja Gudja is a village in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 3,148 as of March 2017. The village is located on high grounds, south of Valletta. It is administered by the Gudja Local Council. A number of schools, clubs, public garde ...

, Mosta, Attard and Victoria *16 August: Saint Roque ('Santu Rokku') *Nearest Sunday to 18 August: Saint Helen (Santa Elena): in

: Feast celebrated on a Sunday morning *Third Sunday of August: Stella Maris (Our Lady Star of the Sea) in

*29 August: The Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist ('Il-Martirju ta' San Ġwann') *Last Sunday of August: Saint Dominic of Guzman ('San Duminku ta' Guzman') in

*Last Sunday of August: Saint Julian ('San Ġiljan') in San Ġiljan

September

September by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar tal-Vitorja, tal-Bambina, u tal-Grazzja' ('the month of Victory, the Nativity of Our Lady, and Our Lady of Graces'). *8 September: The Nativity of Our Lady (''Il-Bambina'') in Mellieħa,

Naxxar Naxxar ( mt, In-Naxxar) is a small city in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 14,891 people as of March 2014. The Naxxar Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. The annual village feast is celebrated on 8 September. Naxx ...

, Senglea and Xagħra *First Sunday after 8 September: Our Lady of Graces ('Il-Madonna tal-Grazzja') *12 September: The Name of Mary ('L-Isem ta' Marija') *21 September: Independence Day ('Jum L-Indipendenza')

October

October by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar tar-Rużarju' ('the month of the Rosary'). *Our Lady of Rosary ('Il-Madonna tar-Rużarju') different villages in Malta and Gozo celebrate Our Lady of Rosary on different days in October

November

By the Maltese, November is known as 'ix-xahar tal-inżigħ tal-weraq, tal-erwieħ, u tal-imwiet' ('the month of fallen leaves, of souls, and of deaths'). *2 November: All Souls Day ('L-Għid tal-Erwieħ') *11 November: Saint Martin of Tours ('San Martin') *22 November: Saint Cecilia ('Santa Ċeċilja') *25 November: Saint Catherine of Alexandria ('Santa Katarina ta' Lixandra') *First Sunday after 25 November: Christ the King ('Kristu Re')

December

December, by the Maltese is known as 'ix-xahar tal-Milied u tal-Kunċizzjoni' ('the month of Christmas and the Conception') *8 December: Immaculate Conception in Cospicua *13 December: Republic Day ('Jum ir-Repubblika'); Saint Lucy ('Santa Luċija') in

Mtarfa Mtarfa ( mt, L-Imtarfa) is a small town in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 2,572 as of March 2014. It was considered to be a suburb of Rabat until 2000, when it became a separate local council. History A number of historic s ...

*25 December: Christmas ('Il-Milied'), with its traditional procession with the statue of Infant

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...

*26 December: Saint Stephen ('San Stiefnu') *28 December: Innocent Saints ('L-Innoċenti Martri') *31 December: Saint Silvester ('San Silvestru')

Distinction between National and Public Holidays

Article 3 of the National Holidays and Other Public Holidays Act (chapter 252) provides the distinction between National and Public Holidays.

The National Holidays shall be public holidays and on those occasions there shall be flown on public buildings the National Flag of Malta.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Public Holidays In Malta