site.btaGovernment Sets Dates of Non-Orthodox Religious Holidays in 2024

The Council of Ministers set the dates of religious holidays in Bulgaria in 2024 for religions other than Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the Government Information Service said on Friday. The dates are set on proposals by the leaders of the respective religious communities.

According to the Labour Code and the Civil Servant Act, employees celebrating these holidays can take either paid or unpaid leave as they choose.

The holidays are as follows:

Roman Catholics:

• Easter Monday on April 1;
• Day of St Peter and St Paul on June 29;
• All Saints' Day on November 1;
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.

Muslims:

• Ramazan Bayram on April 9, 10 and 11;
• Kurban Bayram on June 14 and 17;
• Prophet Muhammad's birthday on September 14.

Jews:

• Pesach on April 23, 24, 29 and 30;
• Rosh Hashanah on October 3 and 4.

Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church:

• Christmas on January 6;
• Resurrection Sunday on March 31;
• The Ascension of Our Lord on May 9;
• Pentecost on May 19;
• Transfiguration of Jesus on July 7;
• Dormition of the Mother of God on August 18.

White Brotherhood:

• Vernal Equinox Day on March 22;
• Day of Birth of the Teacher on July 12;
• Assembly Days on August 19, 20 and 21;
• Day of the Death of the Teacher on December 27.

Seventh Day Adventists: six Saturdays in the year if their contracts of employment otherwise oblige them to work.

Diamond Way Buddhism: Vesak, or Birth, Enlightenment, and Parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni, on May 23.

Jehovah's Witnesses:

• Jesus Christ Memorial on March 24;
• Convention days on August 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Churches in Reformed and Evangelical traditions: Reformation Day on October 31.

Baha'i community:

• Naw Ruz on March 21;
• First Day of Ridvan on April 21;
• Declaration of the Bab on May 24;
• Ascension of Baha'u'llah on May 29;
• Martyrdom of the Bab on July 10;
• Birth of Baha'u'llah on October 17.

Buddhist community:

• Mahayana New Year on January 25;
• Losar or Tibetan New Year on February 10;
• Parinirvana or Attaining Nirvana on February 15;
• Vesak - Birth and Enlightenment of Buddha on May 23;
• Bodhi Day on December 8.