Skip to main content
HolidayList
📅 holiday

Meskel

Sunday, September 27, 2026

— days to go

The most important religious holiday on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s calendar is called “Meskel” and is based on a legend of the discovery of the true cross of Christ in the fourth century A.D. by Helen, who was Emperor of Rome at the time. It is thought that a piece of the true cross she rediscovered was brought to Ethiopia and remains there to this day. In 2026, Meskel falls on Sunday 27 September. The holiday will be on Tuesday 28 September in 2027. Meskel takes place in Addis Ababa two weeks after Ethiopian New Year. The main celebration is in Meskel Square, which was named after the holiday and not the other way around. The story goes that Helena saw in a vision where the true cross of Christ was buried. She had a huge bonfire lit in Jerusalem, and the smoke moved in a direction that pointed to its location. Today, a large bonfire is lit during Meskel. The firewood is draped with yellow flowers before being lit ablaze. After the fire has subsided, people take charcoals from its ash heap and draw the shape of a cross on their foreheads. Some also believe that carefully watching the way the fire burns gives omens of future events.

History

The most important religious holiday on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s calendar is called “Meskel” and is based on a legend of the discovery of the true cross of Christ in the fourth century A. Meskel takes place in Addis Ababa two weeks after Ethiopian New Year. The main celebration is in Meskel Square, which was named after the holiday and not the other way around. She had a huge bonfire lit in Jerusalem, and the smoke moved in a direction that pointed to its location. Some also believe that

How It's Celebrated

The most important religious holiday on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s calendar is called “Meskel” and is based on a legend of the discovery of the true cross of Christ in the fourth century A. The holiday will be on Tuesday 28 September in 2027. The main celebration is in Meskel Square, which was

Other Years

2026 Sun
27 Sep
2027 Tue
28 Sep
2028 Wed
27 Sep
2025 Sat
27 Sep
2024 Fri
27 Sep

Countries

🇪🇹 ET

You Might Also Like

View all →
📅 holiday Nov 30

St Andrew's Day

Saint Andrew’s Day is celebrated every 30 November in Scotland. The day celebrates the Feast of Saint Andrew and is also considered Scotland’s National Day. In 2026, Saint Andrew's Day falls on Monday 30 November. The holiday will be on Tuesday 30 November in 2027. *Please refer to this note for Scotland-specific information. This patron saint day was declared a bank holiday in 2006 by the Scottish Parliament although banks are not required to close if they do not wish to. If 30 November occurs on a weekend, the bank holiday is moved to the following Monday. Saint Andrew is notable in that he was one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus Christ and was also the brother of Saint Peter. Before following Jesus, Andrew was a fisherman. He was born at Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. The main colour you will see in Scotland on Saint Andrew’s Day is the white diagonal cross on blue background of the Scottish flag – the Saltire. This is the Saint Andrew’s cross, and represents the shape of the cross on which Saint Andrew was said to have been crucified. The history of the Scottish link to Saint Andrew goes back as far as 832AD when Óengus II promised God that if the Scots and Picts were victorious in battle against the Angles he would make Saint Andrew the patron saint of Scotland. And they were. Saint Andrew’s Day’s amazing menus include cullen skink (haddock and potato soup), highland venison casseroles, potted hough (shin) with mustard sauce and Scottish tablet (a very sweet treat). Events around Scotland include flag ceremonies, the Shindig in George Square of Glasgow that features live music, and local celebrations in the town of Saint Andrews in the Kingdom of Fife. There is also free entry to many of Scotland’s castles and attractions on the day. Scotland has a free Saint Andrew’s Day app available for iPhone and Android with Scottish and worldwide events, menu ideas and much more.

GB
🌍 observance Dec 18

National Get Your Girlfriend Coffee Day

Introduced to Europe. Coffee, originating from Ethiopia, was introduced to Europe in the 16th century, paving the way for the global appreciation of coffee

ET
📅 holiday Dec 26

Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti

The birth anniversary of freedom fighter Udham Singh, called “Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti”, is a public holiday in the Indian state of Haryana. In 2026, Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti falls on Saturday 26 December. The holiday will be on Sunday 26 December in 2027. From the British perspective, Shaheed Udham Singh was an assassin who killed their lieutenant governor of Punjab province on 13 March 1940. He shot Michael O’Dwyer to death at a meeting in London. He did not try to escape and was immediately arrested. In jail, he went on a hunger strike for over 40 days but was force fed to keep him alive until his execution on 31 July, 1940. In India, he is sometimes called “Shaheed i Azam”, which means “The Great Martyr”. The reason is that Michael O’Dwyer had supported a massacre of over 1,000 people over 20 years before he was assassinated. In 1919, riots broke out against British rule in Punjab, which were ultimately put down by firing on civilians, including women and children. There had been riots a few days before that had killed four Europeans and burned down some British banks, but the crowd fired upon is considered to have been a group of peaceful protesters. Mahatma Gandhi condemned the assassination, but many others, especially in his native province of Punjab, approved of it. There is a national memorial in the garden of Jallianwala Bagh in the Punjabi city of Amritsar, where the 1919 massacre took place, which mentions him honourably.

IN
📅 holiday Aug 15

Assumption Day

Assumption Day is also known as the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and is observed every 15 August in Lithuania. Assumption Day celebrates the day when, according to Catholic tradition and doctrine, the Virgin Mary was assumed bodily into Heaven. In 2026, Assumption Day falls on Saturday 15 August. The holiday will be on Sunday 15 August in 2027. The Assumption of Mary has been a church tradition since at least the 4th Century A.D., but it was not an officially recognised Catholic dogma until the 1950 declaration of Pope Pious XII. Over three-fourths of Lithuanians consider themselves Roman Catholic, so it’s no surprise that they have made Assumption of Mary a national holiday in their country. In Lithuania, however, ancient traditions are mixed in with Assumption Day teaching and practices. The day is called “Zoline” by many, a Lithuanian word meaning “Meadow Grass Day”. It became an official holiday only in 2000 but has been celebrated much longer. Flowers and wheatears are taken to churches on Zoline. It is a harvest tradition that has pagan roots but is now associated with Mary as the first of the Church, other than Jesus himself, to be given a glorified body. Thus, she is like the first of the new harvest in a spiritual comparison according to Roman Catholic teaching. There is a festival for Zoline in the town of Pivasiunai, which is the biggest such celebration in all Lithuania. It goes on for eight straight days. A painting of Mary with the baby Jesus is at the centre of the celebrations.

LTYTFR +42