Assumption Day 2026 observations and holiday status in Germany

Assumption Day, a major feast in the Catholic Church commemorating the belief that Mary was taken into heaven, will be observed on August 15, 2026. In 2026, the date falls on a Saturday, meaning it will not provide an additional day off during the work week for employees in regions where it is a legal holiday.

In Germany, the day is a statutory holiday only in specific regions where the Catholic population is predominant. In Bavaria, for example, it is a public holiday in approximately 1,700 municipalities, primarily within the Upper Palatinate, Swabia, and Lower Franconia regions, as well as certain parts of Upper and Middle Franconia.

Recent changes in holiday designations have occurred due to updated census data. Starting in 2025, the 2022 census replaced the 2011 census as the basis for determining which Bavarian municipalities qualify for the holiday, resulting in six municipalities gaining the status and two losing it.