Public holidays · 2026
Ascension Day falls on Thursday, 14 May 2026 in Portugal in 2026.
A public holiday in some regions of Portugal only: Beja.
In 2026 it falls on a Thursday, a working day.
The date changes from year to year.
Saturday and Sunday · A public holiday does not always close every business. Essential services, shops and some industries keep working, and pay rules differ by country and contract.
Ascension Day commemorates the ascent of Jesus into heaven, forty days after the resurrection, as told in the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospels of Mark and Luke. According to Acts, Jesus appeared to the apostles over a period of forty days and was then taken up into a cloud while they watched. The feast marks the end of the appearances of the risen Jesus and prepares for Pentecost, ten days later. It is one of the few holidays in the Christian calendar that always falls on the same weekday. Many Christians count it among the great feasts.
In Germany the day is also known as Vatertag or Männertag, a men's day when groups go hiking with wagons and drinks, a secular custom that has grown alongside the religious one. In many countries, such as Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Austria and the Nordic states, it is a long-weekend holiday, and in a number of Catholic regions, processions with blessings of the fields and crops are held. Because it is a Thursday, many people take the Friday off as well, producing a four-day weekend. Church services are held in the morning, and in several countries, including Germany, outdoor services and blessing of the fields take place.
Beja
Add to calendar (.ics)Print as PDFDownload as PNGDownload the national public holidays of Portugal 2026 for Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook. The PDF and PNG are a white A4 sheet with all twelve months.
Questions
A public holiday in some regions of Portugal only: Beja.
Thursday, 14 May 2026.