Where is Assumption Day 2020 a public holiday? Who is allowed to take time off on August 15 and what is the Christian festival about?
- In 2020, Assumption Day is a public holiday in only two of the German federal states.
- In Bavaria, the public holiday is not uniform, because the legal regulation also depends on the region.
- This year, the Assumption falls on a Saturday.
Where is Assumption Day 2020 public holiday?
Munich - August 15th is likely to raise questions again this year because this is the day of the Assumption of Mary . And there is one question that causes great confusion: is this a public holiday ? If so, in which federal states? We would be happy to clarify that for you here. And of course they also explain the meaning of the Assumption.
Assumption of Mary: Many shops are closed
The Assumption of Mary always takes place on August 15th - in 2020 it is a Saturday . This means that the shops remain closed where the Assumption of Mary is a public holiday. That could come as a surprise to many. After all, you don't have to remember that it's a public holiday if you don't have to go to work on a Saturday.
By the way, Ascension Day was on May 21st in 2020.
Assumption of Mary is a public holiday in these federal states and communities
Almost all federal states missed out on August 15, 2020. There is an exception for employees in only two countries.
The Assumption of Mary is a public holiday in the whole of Saarland . And it is the same in large parts of Bavaria . Those who work in a city with a predominantly Catholic population can look forward to a shorter working week . If there are more Protestants than Catholics in a Bavarian community, the Assumption of Mary is not a public holiday there. Of the 2056 Bavarian municipalities, this affects 352.
The determination is based on the results of the census in 2011. According to this, Assumption Day is a public holiday in 1704 of 2056 Bavarian communities - also in the major cities of Munich, Augsburg, Würzburg, Regensburg and Ingolstadt .
Assumption of the Virgin Mary is a day off for all residents of Upper and Lower Bavaria. There is also a holiday mood in 96 percent of the Upper Palatinate municipalities and 87 percent of the Lower Franconian cities and municipalities, while in large parts of Central and Upper Franconia it is a normal Saturday - and therefore a normal working day for many.
The Assumption of Mary is a public holiday in some predominantly Catholic regions.
© picture alliance / dpa / Bodo Marks
Where in Bavaria is Assumption Day 2020 a public holiday?
What if you live in Bavaria and are now unsure whether the Assumption of Mary is a public holiday for you or whether your community has a predominantly Catholic population? Even then you can be helped. At statistik.bayern.de there is a practical search function for municipalities so that everyone can easily check their place of residence.
The Feast of the Assumption: what is the significance of the festival
The Catholics celebrate the holiday, which officially " Assumption of Mary " is, with church services and herbs blessings: There are thereby bound bouquets herbs blessed. There are also festive processions in many places . Maria as the radiant queen who is taken to heaven - an image that adorns countless churches, especially in Bavaria.
Assumption is in the Catholic and the Orthodox churches, the most important festival in honor of the Mother of God . It is probably one of the oldest holidays in Europe with roots going back to antiquity. The 15th day of the eighth month was already a public holiday during the time of the Roman Empire - on this day the slaves were free due to the great summer heat in Italy.
In Italy the holiday is called "Ferragosto" - a corruption of the Latin "Feriae Augusti" - August holidays. Traditionally, Italians plan their summer vacation around Ferragosto. In addition to Italy, August 15 is also a public holiday in many other southern European countries - for example in Portugal and Greece.
The Assumption tradition began in the fourth century
The Church began celebrating the "Dormition" of Mary in the fourth century. According to ancient belief, Mary ascended to heaven physically unharmed after her death - what Pope Pius XII. raised to dogma in 1950.
The Archdiocese of Munich announced several years ago that the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin connects the Catholic, Orthodox and ancient Eastern churches. The feast day of the "Dormition of Mary" was celebrated in the 5th century in Jerusalem and in the 6th century in the entire Eastern Church.
Importance of the herb custom on the Assumption of Mary
The custom of consecrating herbs arose later. It is based on the legend according to which the shrouds of Mary are said to have smelled like balm and the flower of the lilies. According to the archbishopric, medicinal and aromatic plants such as sage, yarrow and marjoram , as well as grain, are picked for this purpose. Depending on the region, there are special features, such as a mullein or a rose. After the consecration, the herb bushes are dried upside down and later placed behind a cross - as a sign of God's love for people.
Mainly medicinal and aromatic herbs are used. The number of herbs used to be strictly defined - in the past there were up to 77 different herbs, in some areas of Austria even up to 99.
In addition, many people from the Catholic regions of Bavaria traditionally use the holiday for shopping trips to the major Protestant cities in Franconia. There is usually a dense crowd in the shopping streets from late morning; In the department stores there are mostly families from the Upper Palatinate and parts of Upper Franconia.
Video: Assumption of Mary - is it a public holiday?
Why is it called “Maria”? Interesting facts about the Ascension Day
And what does “Mary” actually mean? Most should know that - it is simply a form of the genitive of "Maria". The internet dictionary wiktionary.org explains: “The form is based on the Latin genitive form Mariae. Today it is only used in relation to the biblical Mary and is considered out of date, with the exception of Catholic festivals such as the Assumption of the Virgin. "
By the way 1: Did you know that Augsburg has the most public holidays in Germany? Those who live in the local urban area can look forward to 14 public holidays a year - more than anywhere else in Germany. Because of the High Peace Festival (August 8th) the people of Augsburg have one more public holiday than all other residents of the Free State. Since there are more Catholics than Protestants in Augsburg, the Fugger city can also be vacated on Assumption Day.
By the way 2: In Austria, Assumption of Mary is a national holiday. That should be interesting for many holidaymakers who suddenly stand in front of closed shop doors in our neighboring country this Saturday.
Other holidays also cause some confusion every year. The question arises again and again: Is the day of penance and prayer a public holiday? And why was Reformation Day suddenly a public holiday everywhere? You can get all information here.
A new day off that is only celebrated regionally has absolutely no religious background. A new public holiday in Thuringia is World Children's Day, starting in 2019.
lin with material from dpa / tmn