Home   Calendar   Holidays   Poland   Epiphany
Flag for Poland

Epiphany 2024 in Poland

Many people in Poland celebrate Epiphany (Trzech Króli), an annual national holiday on January 6, to mark when the three wise men, or kings, visited baby Jesus.

Is Epiphany a Public Holiday?

Epiphany is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

In 2024, it falls on a Saturday, and some businesses may choose to follow Saturday opening hours.

A street procession celebrates Epiphany in a city in Poland.

©iStockphoto.com/Madzia71

What Do People Do?

Epiphany is a big celebration in many places in Poland, featuring street parades, caroling of songs, and reenactments of the Nativity scene. The street parades usually involve a procession of the 3 wise men who give people candy and small treats in some towns and cities. Local parish priests preach about the significance of Epiphany and many houses are blessed. Some people place above their doors 3 small boxes, each containing water, incense, and chalk in memory of the wise kings’ gifts to Jesus.

Public Life

Epiphany is a national public holiday in Poland, so schools, banks, government offices and most private businesses are closed. There is a trade prohibition on public holidays in Poland. People intending to travel via public transport during public holidays must check with the public transit authorities on any changes to time schedules.

Background

Epiphany is a Christian feast that commemorates both the three wise kings’ visit to infant Jesus as well as Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. Epiphany was a holiday that was cancelled during the Communist regime in Poland, but it was restored as an official public holiday across the country in 2011. It is celebrated in many other countries worldwide.

Symbols

The 3 boxes containing water, incense and chalk are usually marked with the letters K, M, and B and crosses after each letter to symbolize the three kings – Kacper, Melchior and Baltazar – who visited Jesus.

About Epiphany in Other Countries

Read more about Epiphany.

Epiphany Observances

YearWeekdayDateNameHoliday Type
2019SunJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2020MonJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2021WedJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2022ThuJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2023FriJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2024SatJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2025MonJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2026TueJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2027WedJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2028ThuJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday
2029SatJan 6EpiphanyNational holiday

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.