National Holidays:
31 March - Freedom Day
A commemorative ceremony is held at the War Memorial at Floriana. During
the afternoon, traditional regatta boat races are held in Grand Harbour.
7 June - Sette Giugno
Commemorative Ceremony at Palace Square, Valletta, in remembrance of the
incidents of the 7th June 1919.
8 September - Victory Day
Commemorative ceremony in Valletta, to celebrate the lifting of the 1565
siege against the Turks, the capitulation of the French in 1800, and the
siege of the Axis powers in 1943. the traditional colorful and keenly
contested boat race or regatta, is held at the Grand Harbour in the
afternoon. Festivities are also held at Senglea, Naxxar and Mellieha in
Malta and at Xaghra in Gozo.
21 September - Independence Day
Malta attained its Independence in 1964. A full programme of activities
takes place in various localities.
13 December - Republic Day
Malta became a Republic in 1974 by resolution of the House of
Representatives. Celebrations, including horse races at Marsa, are held to
commemorate the event.
Public Holidays:
1 January - New Year's Day
10 February - Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck
Feast of St.Paul’s Shipwreck This feast commemorates the shipwreck of
St.Paul in Malta in 60 A.D. an event registered in the Acts of the
Apostles.
19 March - Feast of St Joseph
St. Joseph Feast celebrated at Rabat.
10 April - Good Friday
This is a day of general mourning: cinemas, places of entertainment and
offices are kept closed. Good Friday pageants are held at about 17.00hrs
in 14 different towns and villages. During these pageants, a number of
life-size statues depicting scenes from the passion and death of Jesus
Christ are carried shoulder high in procession along the main streets of
the particular locality. Men and women personifying Biblical characters
from the Old and New Testament, dressed in period costumes, take part in
the processions.
1 May - Worker's Day
The feast of St. Joseph the Worker is also celebrated.
29 June - Feast of St Peter and St Paul
Known in Maltese as 'Mnarja'. This is a traditional folkloristic event.
The festivities open on the eve of Mnarja with open-air folk-singing and a
musical programme at Buskett Gardens which continues up till the early
hours of the 29th day of June. Maltese dishes are served for the occasion
with fried rabbit being a traditional specialty of the evening. On the
29th, activities at Buskett continue with band marches and an agrarian
exhibition. During the afternoon, traditional horse races are held at
Saqqajja Hill, Rabat. The word Mnarja is derived from Luminarja
(illumination), when Mdina, Malta’s medieval capital, was illuminated by
bonfires for the occasion.
15 August - Feast of the Assumption
Festivities are celebrated at Mqabba, Qrendi, Gudja, Ghaxaq, Attard, Mosta
and Victoria in Gozo.
8 December - Feast of the Immaculate Conception
25 December - Christmas Day
Yuletide in Malta is primarily the season for family parties. Young boys
and members of a lay Catholic organization participate in the evening
processions of December 24, with the statue of Baby Jesus held in all
towns and villages. The highlight is the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass,
during which a child relates the story of the nativity.
Banks and shops do not open on public and national holidays. Some shops, especially in tourist areas, will open as usual.
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