Colombia currently has 18 public holidays and 12 of these are Catholic holidays. Saint Joseph’s Day is a holiday that celebrates the Virgin Mary’s husband and the adoptive legal father of Jesus Christ. Lo del SEO Negativo es una broma. Sounds great to me. In Roman Catholicism, All Saints’ Day is reportedly considered to be a holy day of obligation. One does not match your list – Corpus Cristi is on June 7 not June 3, as it was moved to a Monday. Good Friday, also known at Holy Friday, Great Friday and Black Friday, is a religious holiday that commemorates the crucifixion – and eventual death – of Jesus Christ. Little Candles’ Day is celebrated on December 7th (the eve of the Immaculate Conception) and officially marks the start of Christmas in Colombia.Colombians light small candles and paper lanterns, placing them on windowsills and balconies and decorating parks and roads. Also, in Cartagena on this date is the ‘Battle of Flowers’, which is the beauty contest to pick Miss Colombia who will go on to represent Colombia in the Miss Universe contest. Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions. The pre-carnival stage begins on 28th December from which time there are widespread impromptu water fights throughout the city. We have summarized the Colombian public holidays for 2021 and 2021. Even though fighting continued for a few more years, the victory at Boyacá is seen as the definitive battle in Colombia’s war for independence. Christmas Day celebrates the nativity of Jesus, which according to tradition took place on December 25, 1 BC. The people of this South American country enjoy the national holiday celebrations of Colombia. So, we are providing this up-to-date guide to all the public Colombia holidays. *Please Just Don't Put Stuff About Christmas Ty* For example, Barranquilla normally has two holidays on the Monday and Tuesday of Carnival in Barranquilla. Candles are lit at dark around 7 pm outside h… Colombia has an enviable calendar of 18 public holidays per year. Semana Santa this year in Colombia is considered to be from Sunday March 25 to Saturday March 31. In anticipation of this decision, people lit candles and paper lanterns to show their support of Pope Pius IX. It is an entirely festive, but above all family-oriented, atmosphere. The rest are civic holidays, like Independence Day (July 20), the Battle of Boyacá (August 7), and Labor Day (May 1). 15 Nov Mon Independence of Cartagena Holiday Like every other country, Colombia has unique customs and traditions that leave visitors from other countries perplexed. Victor Chavez/WireImage/Getty Images. Día de las Velitas. Editors note: updated on March 29, 2020 with information that Semana Santa in 2020 will have no Semana Santa processions and no Masses in churches and parishioners have been told to stay at home during Semana Santa due to the national quarantine in Colombia. Here are six Colombian customs that only locals will understand. And the first country to declare it as a national holiday was Spain in 1280. They celebrate all national and traditional events very warmly. The Medellin Flower Fair is colorful, flower-y and a great place to scope out some Colombian traditions. Starting with Dia de las Velitas, or “Day of the Little Candles”, on 7 December, 30 days of festivities follow before the holiday finishes on 6 January with the celebration of the Three Kings. Colombia Holidays #15. In Colombia, you’ll see fireworks displays in many cities in pueblos. Take a second to support Medellin Guru on Patreon! In addition, having many Colombian holidays is probably one of the reasons why Colombia tends to rank highly in global happiness surveys over the past few years. Colombia has some totally unique Christmas traditions and festivals, so here are some of … In Colombia, the malls and movie theaters tend to be open and are normally be packed on the holidays. Thanks for catching that. Christmas is more of a month-long celebration in Colombia than just a day. In the Roman Catholic tradition, this day is typically treated as a fast day – a day in which one only has one full meal and abstains from the consumption of meat. We have a separate guide to Semana Santa in Colombia on this website. To learn more about this beautiful Colombian Christmas tradition, visit the following sites: Through our U.S. State Department international exchanges, we have hosted many visitors from Colombia. Ascension Day is the celebration of Jesus rising into heaven after he had spent 40 days on earth after the resurrection. Celebrations begin in earnest from 4th … This day commemorates Mary’s death and her assumption into heaven. Día de las Velitas, photo by Melissa Álvarez. Some cities in Colombia have additional public holidays. Copyright © 2020 Medellin Guru - All Rights Reserved. Colombia Holidays #14. Great post, sorry that was years ago I was sailing much of PR. In some countries, during holidays everything seems to be closed. Good to know about all the Colombia holidays with an up to date list for 2018. This holiday is likely one of the oldest holidays celebrated in the Christian calendar. 1 May Sat Labour Day Colombia has 19 holidays (12 Catholic holidays and 7 Civic holidays), plus Palm and Easter Sunday. 11 Jan Mon Epiphany Holiday Corpus Christi signifies the body and blood of Jesus Christ. In Colombia, this official public holiday always falls on a Monday, since it’s celebrated 10 weeks and a day after Easter Sunday. And we have a Queen, I’m told that’s weird. Each candle is lit to signify a path for the Virgin Mary to bring good wishes for the new year and thanks for the good blessings she has brought Colombians to the current year. National Holidays in Colombia in 2020. National holiday: Sep 18: Saturday: Valentine's Day: Observance: Sep 22: Wednesday: September Equinox: Season: Oct 12: Tuesday: Columbus Day: National holiday: Oct 18: Monday: Day off for Columbus Day: National holiday: Oct 31: Sunday: Halloween: Observance: Nov 1: Monday: All Saints' Day: National holiday: Nov 11: Thursday: Independence of Cartagena: National holiday: … This holiday celebrates Christ’s holiness. Columbus Day celebrates the day when Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas, which occurred in 1492. The period between Christmas Day and Epiphany is known as the Twelve Days of Christmas. Thank you Jeff–Great article & very useful info. The Colombian carnival has incorporated elements from European culture as well as traditions that belonged to the African and Amerindian cultures of Colombia. The most typical Colombian Christmas traditions include eating natilla (a custard dish resembling a flan) and buñuelos (fried dough balls) and attending a Novena de Aguinaldos , when families come together to eat, sing carols ( villancicos ) and recite a set of prayers. I would suggest editing the Columbus one though. Natilla is a sweet custard-like wobbly pudding, they eat a fryed pastry for desert. This holiday is normally celebrated on January 6. Yesterday I heard they lost power again, Part of San Juan and the northern tier of the country. https://latintravelguide.com/colombia/festivals-and-holidays And several times Colombia has been ranked number one. On this date in 1810, Colombian patriots stirred the population of Bogotá into a major uprising in the streets against Spanish rule. They are placed to honor Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception. Many small businesses shut down but the malls and movie theaters will be open. 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