📅 holiday

Benin Independence Day

Saturday, August 1, 2026

— days to go

In 1883, French. Colony Establsihed. The Kingdom of Dahomey, which encompasses present-day Benin, becomes a French colony

History

Benin's independence day commemorates the nation's liberation from French colonial rule on August 1, 1960. Formerly known as Dahomey, the country had been under French control since the late 19th century after the collapse of the independent Kingdom of Dahomey. Following World War II, a growing nationalist movement emerged, demanding an end to French colonial rule. After years of political struggle and negotiations, Dahomey gained full independence from France on August 1, 1960, becoming the Republic of Dahomey. The country later changed its name to Benin in 1975, inspired by the ancient Benin Empire. Benin's independence marked the beginning of a new era as a sovereign African nation.

How It's Celebrated

Celebrate by learning more about the occasion, sharing on social media with relevant hashtags, participating in community events, or taking small personal actions that align with the day's theme.

Countries

🇧🇪 BE

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📅 holiday Feb 10

Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck

The Feast of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck is a holiday unique to Malta because it was on Malta that the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked around the year A.D. 60. In 2027, Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck falls on Wednesday 10 February. The holiday will be on Thursday 10 February in 2028. The feast is kept on February 10th each year, and as Paul is the patron saint of Malta, it is a much-anticipated event. Out of dozens of “saint days” on the church calendar in Malta, the Feast of Saint Paul is one of only a handful that have the status of a national holiday. The account of Paul’s shipwreck and three-month, wintertime stay on Malta is found in the Bible’s Acts 27:27 through 28:11. He was being taken to Rome as a prisoner to eventually stand trial before Caesar. God let him know in advance he would be shipwrecked but would spare the lives of all on board, which promise was later kept and in answer to Paul’s prayers for their lives. The Bible says the storm was in the Adriatic Sea, though Malta borders the Ionian Sea, because in ancient times, the Adriatic’s boundaries were considered to extend much farther south. The ship broke up on the rocks near the shores of Malta, and all swam ashore. The local population greeted them, but thought he might be a murderer whom the “goddess of justice” had finally caught up with after he was bitten by a poisonous snake. After he lived, however, they supposed him to be, perhaps, a god. Paul, however, soon showed them it was God’s power at work in a mere man by healing the governor of the island, Publius, and many others who were sick or disabled among the island’s population. No doubt, Paul preached the Gospel to them as well, and when he left Malta, the inhabitants gave him all necessary supplies out of gratitude. The Feast of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck is kept at the “Parish Church of Saint Paul Shipwrecked” in Malta’s capital city of Valletta. It is also a day of processions and family get-togethers. Three things to do should you visit Malta, though hopefully not be shipwrecked there, on February 10th are:

📅 holiday Feb 23

Defender of the Fatherland Day

Defender of the Fatherland Day is a public holiday in RU.

🌍 observance Mar 9

National Heroes and Benefactors

In 1797, Birth of. George Cadle Price. George Cadle Price, the principal national hero of Belize and the "Father of the Nation", was born on January 15, 1919

🎉 festival Mar 17

Saint Gertrude of Nivelles Day

Saint Gertrude of Nivelles Day, observed on March 17, honors the 7th-century Benedictine abbess who became one of the most beloved saints of the Low Countries. Born in 626 CE into a noble Frankish family in what is now Belgium, Gertrude was the daughter of Pepin of Landen, mayor of the palace of Austrasia. She refused an arranged marriage and devoted her life to religious service, becoming abbess of the double monastery of Nivelles at the age of 20. Saint Gertrude is venerated as the patron saint of cats, gardeners, travelers, and the recently deceased, and is invoked against fever, mental illness, and mouse and rat infestations. Her association with cats stems from the medieval belief that she could protect against rodents, leading to her depiction in art with a mouse or cat at her side. She is also considered the patron saint of hospitals and was known for her hospitality to pilgrims and her care for the poor. Saint Gertrude's Abbey in Nivelles became a major pilgrimage site in medieval Europe, and her feast day remains an important celebration in Belgium.