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Greece celebrates a bank holiday on the 15th of August each year, and it is an event of some importance. Did you know it is the third largest public holiday in the country? Naturally, such an important event demands quite a few changes to everyday life.

To make sure that you’re ready to engage with this amazing public holiday, we’ll be taking a look at what it is, how it affects you, and how life will change as a result.

Religious Roots

To understand why this holiday is so significant we have to consider the fact that the majority of Greece has religious roots. Most people in the country are Christian, specifically Greek Orthodox. 

The holiday is to celebrate the Dormition of the Virgin or Assumption of Mary. This is a holiday wherein Greek Orthodox churches believe that the Virgin Mary - the mother of Jesus - didn’t die but instead ascended to Heaven at the end of her life.

As a result, the resulting public holiday is one of joy and celebration, rather than the grief which many assume it is. It is a time for people to celebrate the divine qualities of Mary. 

A “Mostly” Shutdown 

So, it’s pretty obvious that this is an important festival for the Greek people. However, how does it affect you? If you were a visitor to Greece, what would you expect to see during this period?

Well, all the businesses in the public and private sector are shut down. The only things that stay open are the hospitality sector, and a handful of tourist businesses like excursions, souvenir shops, and car rentals. So, we will still be participating in every day business.

Furthermore, celebrations and festivals are held all across the island. The 14th and the 15th are considered to be very important dates because they provide two days worth of active celebration of the holiday. 

If you’re a tourist visiting the area and want to participate in the celebrations, you’re more than welcome to do so. However, it’s probably important to know that depending on which aspect of Christianity you subscribe to, the story is a little bit different. Catholics believe that the Virgin Mary directly ascended to heaven, whereas Orthodox churches, which make up the bulk of Greek Christianity, believe that she died first and was buried before she went to heaven.

Final Thoughts

So, if you’re going to be in Greece for the 15th of August, it’s important to know that this festival will take place. There are barely any parts of the island that don’t celebrate, because the majority of Greece is a very religious place. It’s important to be respectful of local customs and festivals, so if you do visit, make sure that you are polite. At the end of the day, there’s definitely a lot to see and do, which makes this a nice place to visit even during the festival. Tourists are welcome to participate, and the celebrations go on for two days, so there’s plenty of opportunity to see the local culture.