Public holidays in Malta


is the country with the most holidays in the European Union. Since 2020, any holidays falling on Saturdays or Sundays add an extra day to the workers' leave pool, reverting to the pre 2005 system.

National holidays

  • 31 March: Freedom Day
  • 7 June: Sette Giugno
  • 8 September: Victory Day
  • 21 September: Independence Day
  • 13 December: Republic Day

    Public holidays

  • 1 January: New Year's Day
  • 10 February: Feast of Saint Paul's Shipwreck in Malta
  • 19 March: Feast of Saint Joseph
  • Friday before Easter: Good Friday
  • 1 May: Workers' Day
  • 29 June: Feast of Saint Peter; Saint Paul, patron saints
  • 15 August: Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady
  • 8 December: Feast of the Immaculate Conception
  • 25 December: Christmas Day

    Traditional Feasts

The following is a list of feasts or special days celebrated in Malta. Note that, with the exception of the dates mentioned in the previous section, these feasts are not public holidays and on these days, business runs as usual across the Maltese islands. As Malta is largely Roman Catholic, most of these feasts celebrate Saints or events from the Holy Bible.

January

January is known by the Maltese as ix-xahar tal-bard
February is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar ta' San Pawl'
  • 2 February: Candlemas
  • 3 February: Saint Blase
  • 10 February: Saint Paul's Shipwreck in Valletta, Marsalforn and Munxar
  • 14 February: Saint Valentine

    March

March is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar ta' San Ġużepp, tal-Lunzjata u tar-roħs'
  • 19 March: Saint Joseph in Rabat
  • 25 March: Annunciation
  • 27 March: Jesus of Nazareth in Sliema
  • 31 March: Freedom Day

    April

April is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tan-nwhar u ta' San Girgor'.
  • 1 April: April Fool's Day
  • First Wednesday after Easter Sunday: Saint Gregory
  • 6 April: Saint Publius in Floriana
  • 23 April: Saint George in Qormi and Victoria
The following feasts are moveable, as they can occur either in March or in April.
May is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tal-ħsad u tal-Madonna ta' Pompej'
June is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tad-dris, tal-ħġejjeġ, tal-Imnarja, u tal-Qalb ta' Ġesù'
July is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tal-Karmnu'.
  • First Sunday of the month: Sacro Cuor in Sliema
  • 5 July: The Visitation in Għarb; Saint Paul in Rabat; Our Lady of Sacred Heart in Sliema; Saint Andrew : in Luqa; Our Lady of Lourdes in Qrendi; Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Fleur-de-Lys
  • 12 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Fgura
  • 13 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Gżira
  • 16 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Valletta
  • 19 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Mdina and Birkirkara
  • 20 July: Our Lady of Sorrows in San Pawl Il-Baħar
  • 26 July: Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Balluta Bay ; Saint Anne in Marsaskala
  • Second Sunday of July: Saint Joseph in Kirkop; the Annunciation in Balzan
  • Third Sunday of July: Saint George in Victoria; Saint Sebastian in Hal Qormi; Sacred Family in Bidnija
  • 27 July: Saint Venera in Santa Venera; Mount Carmel* in Żurrieq
  • Last Sunday of July: Christ the King in Paola, Malta

    August

August is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tal-frott, ta' Santa Marija u ta' San Lawrenz'.
  • First Sunday of August: Saint Peter in Chains in Birżebbuġa
  • 10 August: Saint Lawrence in Birgu and San Lawrenz
  • 11 August: Saint Gaetan in Ħamrun
  • 15 August: The Seven Saint Marys in Għaxaq, Mqabba, Qrendi, Gudja, Mosta, Attard and Victoria
  • 16 August: Saint Roque
  • Nearest Sunday to 18 August: Saint Helen : in Birkirkara: Feast celebrated on a Sunday morning
  • Third Sunday of August: Stella Maris in Sliema
  • 29 August: The Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist
  • Last Sunday of August: Saint Dominic of Guzman in Birgu
  • Last Sunday of August: Saint Julian in San Ġiljan

    September

September is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tal-Vitorja, tal-Bambina, u tal-Grazzja'.
October is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tar-Rużarju'.
  • Our Lady of the Rosary different villages in Malta and Gozo celebrate Our Lady of Rosary on different days in October

    November

November is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tal-inżigħ tal-weraq, tal-erwieħ, u tal-imwiet'.
  • 2 November: All Souls Day
  • 11 November: Saint Martin of Tours
  • 22 November: Saint Cecilia
  • 25 November: Saint Catherine of Alexandria
  • First Sunday after 25 November: Christ the King

    December

December is known by the Maltese as 'ix-xahar tal-Milied u tal-Kunċizzjoni'
  • 8 December: Immaculate Conception in Cospicua
  • 13 December: Republic Day ; Saint Lucy in Mtarfa
  • 25 December: Christmas, with its traditional procession with the statue of Infant Jesus
  • 26 December: Saint Stephen
  • 28 December: Innocent Saints
  • 31 December: Saint Silvester

    Distinction between National and Public Holidays

Article 3 of the National Holidays and Other Public Holidays Act provides the distinction between National and Public Holidays.

The National Holidays shall be public holidays and on those occasions there shall be flown on public buildings the National Flag of Malta.