What is Catholic Easter Monday?
Catholic Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday on the Western calendar. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Lebanon it is listed as a holiday for the Catholic community, in the same way that the Orthodox communities have their own Easter holidays on the Orthodox date. It continues the Easter celebration, with Mass in the morning and, for many families, visits and a shared meal. The date follows the Western Easter, which falls on a different day from the Orthodox Easter in most years, so both countries often have two separate Easter periods, one for each major Christian community; in 2027 Catholic Easter Monday is on 29 March and Orthodox Easter Monday on 3 May.
The Gospel reading in the current Catholic Mass for the day is Matthew 28:8-15, in which the women who left the tomb meet the risen Jesus, while in Lutheran churches the day is linked with the walk to Emmaus, in which two disciples meet the risen Jesus without recognising him until he breaks bread with them. In many countries the day is spent with relatives, in the countryside or on short trips, and regions have folk customs of their own, which in Central Europe include sprinkling with water or switching with willow branches.
Why it is observed
The practice of celebrating the Monday after Easter goes back to the early church, when the Easter festival lasted a full week, known as the Easter Octave, and newly baptised Christians wore white garments during it. In later centuries the Monday remained a day of rest in many regions and became a statutory holiday in much of Europe. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and Lebanon, where several religious communities have holidays recognised in the public calendar, Catholic Easter Monday is the Monday that belongs to the Western calendar, and it falls on the same day as Easter Monday in Western Europe.
How the date is set
Catholic Easter Monday is the day after Catholic Easter Sunday, which is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March on the Gregorian calendar. It falls between 23 March and 26 April.
How it is observed
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Catholic Easter Monday is a day off for members of the Catholic community, and the way it applies to businesses, schools and public offices depends on the entity or canton, so it is best checked locally. In Lebanon the site lists it as a bank holiday, alongside Orthodox Easter Monday, because the state's calendar follows each recognised community. In majority-Catholic areas, shops and offices often close and a long weekend is common. Pay, substitute days and employer rules depend on the legislation that applies and on the contract. Visitors should expect a quiet day with reduced services, especially in smaller towns.
Sources
Bosnia & Herzegovina