Public Holidays in North Macedonia in 2023

In 2023, Macedonia will celebrate a wide range of public holidays and observances, providing opportunities for both reflection and celebration.

Let’s take a closer look at the significant holidays and observances that will mark the calendar in North Macedonia in 2023.

Date		Name	Type
1 Jan	Sunday	New Year’s Day	National holiday
2 Jan	Monday	Day off for New Year’s Day	National holiday
6 Jan	Friday	Orthodox Christmas Eve	Optional Holiday
7 Jan	Saturday	Orthodox Christmas Day	National holiday, Orthodox
19 Jan	Thursday	Epiphany (Orthodox)	Optional Holiday
27 Jan	Friday	St Sava’s Day	Optional Holiday
14 Feb	Tuesday	Valentine’s Day	Observance
8 Mar	Wednesday	Mothers’ Day/International Women’s Day	Observance
20 Mar	Monday	March Equinox	Season
23 Mar	Thursday	Ramadan Start	Observance
26 Mar	Sunday	Daylight Saving Time starts	Clock change/Daylight Saving Time
7 Apr	Friday	Good Friday	Observance
8 Apr	Saturday	Easter Saturday	Observance
8 Apr	Saturday	International Romani Day (for Romani community)	Optional Holiday
9 Apr	Sunday	Easter Sunday	Observance
10 Apr	Monday	Easter Monday	Optional Holiday
14 Apr	Friday	Good Friday (Orthodox)	Optional Holiday
15 Apr	Saturday	Easter Saturday (Orthodox)	Observance, Orthodox
16 Apr	Sunday	Easter Sunday (Orthodox)	Observance, Orthodox
17 Apr	Monday	Easter Monday (Orthodox)	National holiday, Orthodox
21 Apr	Friday	Eid al-Fitr	National holiday
1 May	Monday	Labor Day	National holiday
23 May	Tuesday	Vlach’s National Day (for Vlach community)	Optional Holiday
24 May	Wednesday	Saints Cyril and Methodius’ Day	National holiday
2 Jun	Friday	Friday before Pentecost	Optional Holiday
21 Jun	Wednesday	June Solstice	Season
29 Jun	Thursday	Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) (Tentative Date)	Optional Holiday
2 Aug	Wednesday	Republic Day	National holiday
28 Aug	Monday	Feast of the Assumption of Mary (Orthodox)	Optional Holiday
8 Sep	Friday	Independence Day	National holiday
10 Sep	Sunday	Fathers’ Day	Observance
23 Sep	Saturday	September Equinox	Season
25 Sep	Monday	First day of Yom Kippur (Jewish community)	Optional Holiday
28 Sep	Thursday	International Bosniaks’ Day (for Bosniak community)	Optional Holiday
11 Oct	Wednesday	Day of People’s Uprising	National holiday
23 Oct	Monday	Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle	National holiday
29 Oct	Sunday	Daylight Saving Time ends	Clock change/Daylight Saving Time
31 Oct	Tuesday	Halloween	Observance
1 Nov	Wednesday	All Saints’ Day	Optional Holiday
22 Nov	Wednesday	Albanian Alphabet Day (Albanian community)	Optional Holiday
8 Dec	Friday	Saint Kliment Ohridski’s Day	National holiday
21 Dec	Thursday	Turkish Language Day (Turkish community)	Optional Holiday
22 Dec	Friday	December Solstice	Season
24 Dec	Sunday	Christmas Eve	Observance
25 Dec	Monday	Christmas Day	Optional Holiday
31 Dec	Sunday	New Year’s Eve	Observance

Get ready to mark your calendars and embrace the festive spirit as North Macedonia gears up to celebrate an array of public holidays in 2023.

From the joyous New Year’s Day and Orthodox Christmas to the empowering International Women’s Day and the patriotic Republic Day, these holidays offer a unique blend of cultural, religious, and historical significance.

New Year’s Day (January 1st)

As with many countries around the world, North Macedonia begins the year by celebrating New Year’s Day. It is a national holiday where people gather with family and friends, participate in festive events, and enjoy the first day of the year together.

Orthodox Christmas (January 7th)

North Macedonia follows the Orthodox Christian tradition, and Orthodox Christmas is an important holiday in the country. On January 7th, the nation celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ according to the Orthodox calendar.

It is a national holiday and is marked by religious services, family gatherings, and the exchange of gifts.

Easter (April 17th)

Easter, one of the most important Christian holidays, is celebrated in North Macedonia. The dates of Easter may vary each year as they are based on the Orthodox calendar.

The Orthodox Christian community celebrates Easter on April 17th, marking Easter Monday as a national holiday.

These days are observed with religious services, family gatherings, feasts, and traditional customs such as egg painting and egg tapping games.

Labor Day (May 1st)

Labor Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is observed as a national holiday in North Macedonia. It is a day to recognize and appreciate the contributions of workers to society and to advocate for workers’ rights.

Saints Cyril and Methodius’ Day (May 24th)

This national holiday in North Macedonia commemorates the work and legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the creators of the Glagolitic alphabet, which served as the basis for the Cyrillic script used in many Slavic languages, including Macedonian.

The day is celebrated with cultural events, exhibitions, and ceremonies that promote the Macedonian language and alphabet.

Republic Day (August 2nd)

Republic Day or the Day of the Republic or Ilinden is a major national holiday of  Macedonia. It is celebrated on 2 August, which is also a major religious holiday – Ilinden. It commemorates two major events in the establishment of the statehood of the country which took place on this date:

• The Ilinden Uprising of 1903 which was organized by the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization against the Ottoman Empire, and during which a short-lived Kruševo Republic was proclaimed, and
• The First Assembly of ASNOM of 1944, during World War II in Yugoslav Macedonia, which laid the foundation of the SR Macedonia.

On this day, various festivities, concerts, and official ceremonies take place to celebrate the country’s sovereignty and achievements.

Independence Day (September 8th)

Independence Day is another important national holiday in North Macedonia. It has been a national holiday since 1991, when, following a referendum for Independence, SR Macedonia gained its independence from Yugoslavia, where it was a federal state, and became a sovereign parliamentary democracy.

The day is celebrated with parades, concerts, cultural events, and fireworks, reflecting the country’s pride and patriotism.

Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle (October 23rd)

This national holiday in North Macedonia commemorates the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, which fought for the country’s independence during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The day is marked with wreath-laying ceremonies, cultural events, and educational programs to honor the nation’s revolutionary history.

 

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The diversity of holidays reflects the cultural, religious, and historical variety of the country, providing opportunities for people of different backgrounds to come together and celebrate.

Whether it’s through religious ceremonies, cultural events, or time spent with loved ones, these holidays play an essential role in shaping the national identity and fostering unity among the people of Macedonia.