Holy Spirit Day: How shops, supermarkets, banks and public services will operate

Monday, June 1, Holy Spirit Day, will follow different regulations for the public and private sectors. Although it is not a mandatory public holiday for the entire private sector, thousands of employees will not work, in accordance with collective labor agreements, company regulations or established workplace practices.

At the same time, banks and public services will remain closed, as will schools and private tutoring centers, while supermarkets and most retail businesses are expected to operate normally across most parts of the country.

Supermarkets and Shops Open – Where They Will Be Closed

Holy Spirit Day is not considered a general mandatory holiday for the private sector and does not affect retail trade.

Supermarkets will operate as usual, serving customers according to their regular opening hours.

However, in certain parts of the country, local decisions or long-standing customs create a different picture.

In Thessaly, the Federation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship, in coordination with the commercial associations of the region’s four prefectures, has recommended maintaining the holiday, as is traditionally the case every year.

In addition, a local mandatory holiday applies in parts of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, while in Central Macedonia it specifically concerns retail stores.

Consumers are advised to consult local commercial associations to verify what arrangements apply in their area.

Banks and Public Services Closed

Unlike the retail sector, public services and banks will not operate on Monday, June 1.

Holy Spirit Day is an established holiday for the public sector and the banking industry, meaning no transactions will be conducted at bank branches and public services will remain closed.

Schools and private tutoring centers will also remain closed.

Sectors Where the Holiday Applies

Although the holiday is not universally observed throughout the private sector, there are several industries in which Holy Spirit Day has been established as a day off through collective labor agreements or special regulations.

These include:

• Employees in bookstores
• Secondary, post-secondary and higher education tutoring centers, as well as foreign language schools
• Diagnostic centers
• Clinics and nursing homes
• Newspapers, magazines and online media organizations
• Shipping agencies
• Petroleum companies
• Timber and lumber businesses
• Tobacco industries
• Building caretakers and doormen
• Radio and television technicians
• Electricians and workers in industrial facilities
• Quarry workers and employees in technical construction projects

How Employees Working That Day Are Paid

The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), through its Information Center for Employees and the Unemployed (KEPEA/GSEE), has issued clarifications regarding the compensation of private-sector employees who work on Holy Spirit Day (Monday, June 1, 2026).

According to the announcement, Monday, June 1, 2026, is not included among the official public holidays established by law for private-sector employees.

However, private businesses may remain closed if Holy Spirit Day has been designated as a holiday by a regional governor’s decision, a Collective Labor Agreement (CLA), company work regulations, or established business custom and practice under which the company traditionally remains closed on that day.

Likewise, more favorable compensation arrangements may apply for employees who legally work on Holy Spirit Day.

If salaried employees do not work under the above provisions, they will receive their regular salary, while daily wage earners are entitled to receive their normal daily wage.

It is noted that it is not lawful to offset a scheduled rest day (day off) against Holy Spirit Day when the day is recognized as a mandatory holiday.

If Holy Spirit Day has been designated as an additional company holiday but the business operates exceptionally this year, employees who work are entitled to a 75% pay premium, calculated on their daily wage if they are paid daily, or on 1/25 of their monthly salary if they are paid on a monthly basis.

For further information on labor-related matters, employees may visit www.kepea.gr or download the KEPEA mobile application from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

What We Celebrate on Holy Spirit Day

Holy Spirit Day is a movable religious feast and is always celebrated on a Monday, seven weeks after Easter, namely the day following Pentecost Sunday.

According to Christian tradition, the feast commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and is one of the most important celebrations of the Orthodox Church, as it is directly linked to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.