St Stephen’s Day 2025, 2026 and 2027
Croatia is a predominantly Catholic country, but there are some Eastern Orthodox too in the land. Thus, it is good to mention that Saint Stephen’s Day is observed on 26 December by Catholics but on 27 December by the Orthodox. Many in Croatia who are not religious see it as just another day off from work and school, a good chance to spend more time with family and friends.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 Dec | Fri | St Stephen's Day |
| 2026 | 26 Dec | Sat | St Stephen's Day |
| 2027 | 26 Dec | Sun | St Stephen's Day |
| Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates. | |||
Croatians appreciate two days off in a row, and should 26 December come on a Friday or a Monday, they get four consecutive days off. That is appreciated even more!
Stephen is called the “Protomartyr” because he was the first Christian to die for his faith and became an example for all others to follow. In art, he is often shown holding a palm branch in one hand and a book or a stone in the other. He was stoned to death for preaching to the unbelieving Jews the truth about Jesus from the Book of God. He is also usually depicted donning traditional “deacon’s attire”, which of course, would not have been worn in his time nor by Jewish believers in Jerusalem.
In Croatia, the tradition is to celebrate with your own immediate family on Christmas Day but to go out and visit relatives and friends on Saint Stephen’s Day.
Previous Years
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26 Dec | Thu | St Stephen's Day |
| 2023 | 26 Dec | Tue | St Stephen's Day |