Public holidays
Eritrea: 15 public holiday dates in 2026 (15 days off) and 15 in 2027 (15 days off), with 251 working days in 2026 and 252 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 7 January 2026 | 2026-W02 | Orthodox Christmas | Yes |
| Monday 19 January 2026 | 2026-W04 | Epiphany | Yes |
| Sunday 8 March 2026 | 2026-W10 | Women's Day | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 10 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Sunday 12 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Orthodox Easter | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | International Workers' Day | Yes |
| Sunday 24 May 2026 | 2026-W21 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Saturday 20 June 2026 | 2026-W25 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 25 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Tuesday 1 September 2026 | 2026-W36 | Revolution Day | Yes |
| Friday 11 September 2026 | 2026-W37 | Ethiopian New Year | Yes |
| Sunday 27 September 2026 | 2026-W39 | Finding of the True Cross | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Thursday 7 January 2027 | 2027-W01 | Orthodox Christmas | Yes |
| Tuesday 19 January 2027 | 2027-W03 | Epiphany | Yes |
| Monday 8 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Women's Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 30 April 2027 | 2027-W17 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | International Workers' Day | Yes |
| Sunday 2 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Orthodox Easter | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Monday 24 May 2027 | 2027-W21 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Sunday 20 June 2027 | 2027-W24 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Saturday 14 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Wednesday 1 September 2027 | 2027-W35 | Revolution Day | Yes |
| Sunday 12 September 2027 | 2027-W36 | Ethiopian New Year | Yes |
| Tuesday 28 September 2027 | 2027-W39 | Finding of the True Cross | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good Friday | Friday 10 April 2026 | Friday 30 April 2027 | +20 days |
| Orthodox Easter | Sunday 12 April 2026 | Sunday 2 May 2027 | +20 days, changes month |
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday 20 March 2026 | Tuesday 9 March 2027 | −11 days |
| Eid al-Adha | Wednesday 27 May 2026 | Sunday 16 May 2027 | −11 days |
| Prophet's Birthday | Tuesday 25 August 2026 | Saturday 14 August 2027 | −11 days |
| Ethiopian New Year | Friday 11 September 2026 | Sunday 12 September 2027 | +1 day |
| Finding of the True Cross | Sunday 27 September 2026 | Tuesday 28 September 2027 | +1 day |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19 | 18 | −1 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| March | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| April | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| May | 19 | 20 | +1 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 23 | 22 | −1 |
| August | 20 | 22 | +2 |
| September | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| December | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| Q1 | 60 | 59 | −1 |
| Q2 | 62 | 63 | +1 |
| Q3 | 63 | 64 | +1 |
| Q4 | 66 | 66 | 0 |
| Year | 251 | 252 | +1 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
Christmas as kept on 7 January by Churches that follow the older Julian calendar, on which 25 December falls on 7 January of the Gregorian calendar. In Eritrea it is observed by adherents of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church. In Kazakhstan it has been an official holiday since 2007.
At work: Welcome to mention, especially among Orthodox Christians. A day off.
Epiphany, also known as Theophany in the Eastern Churches, is a Christian feast commemorating the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus and the wedding at Cana. In Western Christianity it commemorates principally the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. Customs include Epiphany singing, blessing houses and eating Three Kings Cake.
At work: Fine to mention; in many places it is a family occasion rather than a working day.
8 March is International Women's Day, which commemorates women's fight for equality and gives focus to gender equality and violence against women. It is a public holiday in these countries.
At work: Welcome to mention. A day off.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
A solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus, observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It falls on the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday.
At work: Fine to mention the long weekend. It is a sombre day for those who observe it, so avoid "Happy Good Friday". Its date moves every year with Easter, so check the calendar when planning spring deadlines.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and is the most important feast of the Christian year. Families go to church and share a festive meal, and in many places Easter eggs are decorated and broken together as a symbol of the empty tomb. Easter is a moveable feast, with its date set by a lunisolar calendar. Easter Monday, the day after, is a public holiday in more than 50 predominantly Christian countries.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Colleagues may be away for the whole long weekend.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
Marks 24 May 1991, when forces of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front entered the capital Asmara at the end of a 30-year war against Ethiopia. Celebrations run for a week leading up to the day.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Eid al-Adha, the "festival of the sacrifice", is the second of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son at God's command. The Eid prayer is held in the morning, followed by the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, and celebrations carry on for the three following days.
At work: Very welcome to mention. As with Eid al-Fitr, the date follows the lunar calendar, so keep plans flexible.
20 June honours the fallen heroes of the independence generation and of the border war.
At work: A solemn day, so avoid "enjoy" wishes.
Mawlid is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, on 12 Rabi' al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. It was first publicly celebrated by Gökböri, a deputy of Saladin, and the Ottomans declared it an official holiday. Celebrants recite religious poetry in praise of Muhammad.
At work: Respectful to mention. Not every colleague marks it in the same way.
Marks 1 September 1961, the start of Eritrea's armed struggle for independence from Ethiopia, at the Battle of Adal.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off.
Enkutatash, the Ethiopian new year, is observed on 11 September (12 in leap years), the first day of Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar. The name means gift of jewels. Families share meals of injera and wat, young girls wear new clothes and exchange daisies, and many go to church in the morning. It is also observed in Eritrea.
At work: Very welcome to mention. The Ethiopian calendar counts years differently, so its year number is about eight years behind the Gregorian one.
Meskel is a holiday of the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman Empress Saint Helena of Constantinople in the fourth century. It is celebrated by members of both Churches and, to a lesser extent, by Ethiopian Catholics.
At work: Very welcome to mention, especially among Orthodox Christians. A day off.
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