Europe's Top Ten public holidays (ranked by how many different countries/territories observe them)
(not definitive because dates change) (somewhat subjective because it's complicated)
1) New Year's Day (January 1st)
2) Christmas Day (December 25th)
3) May Day/Labour Day (May 1st, or nearby Monday)
4) Boxing Day (26th December)
5) Easter Monday (this year 6th April)
6) Good Friday (this year 3rd April)
7) Whit Monday (this year 25th May, or nearby Monday)
8) Christmas Eve (December 24th)
9) Assumption (August 15th)
10) Ascension Day (this year 14th May)
England observes the top seven (plus the late August bank holiday). Germany observes the top seven (plus Ascension Day and the Day of German Unity). France and Spain observe the top three (but not Boxing Day or Good Friday). Protestant and Catholic countries cluster somewhat differently.
Ascension Day: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland Assumption: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Vatican City
Today is one of the top 10 public holidays, the festival of The Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It celebrates the passing of Mary, Mother of Jesus, a story which does not appear in the Bible. Catholic dogma states that her body "was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory", a highly significant event. Orthodox churches instead celebrate The Dormition of the Mother of God, a distinction which hinges on whether or not Mary died before being taken up into heaven. Protestant churches tend not to assume anything mystical happened, marking the day as The Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In Italy the observance has its roots in Feriae Augusti, a Roman harvest festival. The UK generally ignores it. Whatever, if you're in the right country it's a damned good excuse for a day off and fireworks.
