On Monday, June 9, 2025, which marks the Feast of the Holy Spirit, not all employees will have a day off. While shops and supermarkets are expected to remain open, some may close due to local customs or municipal regulations.
Holy Spirit Holiday 2025: Operating Stores and Services
The Feast of the Holy Spirit is an official holiday in many Christian nations. In Greece, it was initially designated solely for public sector employees, as the Holy Spirit is seen as their patron. Over time, several private sector industries have also adopted the holiday.
This holiday is officially recognized for public sector employees and banks, while retail outlets operate as usual. Supermarkets, bakeries, and grocery stores will also be open for business.
Who Has the Day Off on Holy Spirit Monday
Some professions observe Holy Spirit Monday as a holiday, meaning employees do not work. These include:
- Bookstores
- Diagnostic centers
- Journalists
- Foremen
- Elderly care facilities
- Electricians in industrial and retail settings
- Doormen
- Tobacco industry employees
- Clinics
- Lumber trade stores (in Athens, Piraeus, and surrounding areas)
- Oil company employees
- Shipping agencies
- Radio engineers and technicians in industry
- Radio stations
- Tugboat and salvage companies
- Television stations
- TV technicians in Northern Greece
- Printers for regional newspapers
- Newspaper loaders
- Tutoring centers, including secondary, higher, and foreign language institutes
- Phototypesetters
- Industrial unit personnel
- Workers in stone, marble, and construction quarries
Compensation for Employees Working on Holy Spirit Monday
For those required to work on a day deemed a holiday, specific pay provisions apply:
- Salaried employees will receive a bonus in addition to their monthly wage.
- If employees are not working due to the holiday, their wages will not be deducted.
- Daily wage workers will receive their full daily wage, regardless of whether they work.
In cases where a company opts to operate despite the holiday designation, the following rules apply:
- Full-time employees are entitled to an extra payment of 1/25 of their monthly salary.
- Daily wage workers will receive an additional daily wage.
- All workers receive a 75% pay increase on their hourly wage for public holiday work.
Official Public Holidays in Greece for 2025
June
- Holy Spirit Monday: Monday, June 9 (not an official day off for all workers)
August
- Assumption of the Virgin Mary: Friday, August 15
October
- Ohi Day: Tuesday, October 28
December
- Christmas Day: Thursday, December 25
- Boxing Day (Second Day of Christmas): Friday, December 26
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