The primary national holiday is Independence Day which is celebrated on November 22.[1]

National holidays

Date English Name Arabic Name French Name Remarks
January 1 New Year's Day رأس السنة[2] Nouvel an
January 6 Epiphany and Armenian Christmas عيد الظهور الإلهي
عيد الميلاد - الأرمن الأرثودكس[2]		 Épiphanie
Noël Arménien		 The latter holiday was officially recognized in Lebanon in 2003.[3] It is exclusively celebrated by Armenians in Lebanon.[4]
February 9 St. Maroun Day عيد مار مارون Fête de Saint-Maron The holiday is celebrated by the Maronites, hence the name.
March 25 Feast of the Annunciation عيد البشارة Fête de l'Annonciation Observed by both Christians and Muslims[5]
Friday immediately before Easter Sunday Good Friday جمعة الآلام[2] Vendredi Saint Both the Eastern and Western dates are observed. Also called الجمعة العظيمة in Arabic.[2]
moveable Easter Sunday الفصح المجيد[2] Pâques Both the Eastern and Western dates are observed.[2]
May 1 Workers' Day عيد العمّال Fête du Travail
May 25 Liberation and Resistance Day عيد المقاومة و التحرير Fête de la Libération et Résistance Withdrawal of the Israeli Army from Southern Lebanon in 2000.
August 15 Feast of the Assumption عيد إنتقال العذراء[2] Assomption de Marie
November 22 Lebanese Independence Day عيد الإستقلال[2] Fête nationale Lebanon gained its independence from France in 1943.
December 25 Christmas Day عيد الميلاد Noël
Dates following the lunar Islamic calendar
1 Muharram Islamic New Year رأس السنة الهجرية[2] Nouvel an islamique In French, it is also known as 1er Muharram.[6]
10 Muharram Day of Ashura ذكرى عاشوراء[2] Fête de l’Achoura[6] Maqtal al-Husayn is sometimes read on this day.
12 Rabi' al-awwal Mawlid مولد النبي Mawlid The holiday is celebrated on 12 Rabi' al-awwal by the Sunnis while it is celebrated on 17 Rabi' al-awwal by the Shi'ites. Also known as mouloud, mouled, maoulide or Mawlid al-Nabi in French.[6]
1 Shawwal Eid al-Fitr عيد الفطر Aïd el-Fitr The holiday lasts for three days until 3 Shawwal. Also known as Id-ul-Fitr, Eid, and the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.
10 Dhu al-Hijjah Eid al-Adha عيد الأضحى Aïd el-Kebir The holiday lasts three days, ending on 13 Dhu al-Hijjah. Also known as la Fête du sacrifice, Aïd al Adha, or Eid el-Kebir in French.[6]

[7]

Other Holidays

Date English name Arabic name French name Remarks
February 15 St. Vartan Day Only celebrated by the Armenian population in Lebanon.[4][7]
March 9 Teachers' Day عيد المعلم Fête des professeurs The holiday ends on March 9.
March 21 Mother's Day عيد الأم Fête des Mères The holiday also falls on the Vernal Equinox.
May 6 Martyrs' Day عيد الشهداء Jour des martyrs Syrian and Lebanese national holiday commemorating the Syrian and Lebanese nationalists executed in Damascus and Beirut on May 6, 1916 by Jamal Pasha.
November 1 All Saints' Day عيد جميع القديسين Toussaint
moveable Ascension Day عيد الصعود Jour de l'Ascension
September 8 Nativity of Mary ميلاد مريم العذراء Nativité de Marie
December 4 Saint Barbara's Day عيد البربارة Jour de Barbara

See also

References

  1. ^ "National holiday", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, archived from the original on June 13, 2007, retrieved 20 December 2009
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j holidays 2009 in Lebanon, archived from the original on 2008-04-19, retrieved 2009-08-30
  3. ^ "Armenian Christmas Becomes National Holiday in Lebanon", Middle East, Lebanon: Asbarez.com, 2003-01-07, retrieved 2009-08-30
  4. ^ a b Figuié, Gérard (1998), "La population", Le point sur le Liban (in French), Maisonneuve & Larose, ISBN 978-2-7068-1314-6, retrieved 2009-08-30
  5. ^ "Upcoming Lebanon Public Holidays (Middle East)". The qppstudio.net website. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  6. ^ a b c d Fêtes juives et Fêtes islamiques 2008-2011 (in French), Switzerland: Armée suisse, 2009-02-06, archived from the original on 2009-05-04, retrieved 2009-08-30
  7. ^ a b "Lebanon", International Religious Freedom Report 2006, BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR, retrieved 2009-08-30


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