St George's Day 2024 in Spain

Many Catalonian men present their female relatives with roses on St George's Day (Sant Jordi or Día de San Jorge) in Spain. The day is celebrated on April 23 each year. Lovers also swap gifts of books and roses on this day.

Is St George's Day a Public Holiday?

Although St George's Day is not a public holiday, businesses and schools may be closed because it falls on the same date as Day of Aragón in 2024, which is a public holiday in Aragon.

What Do People Do?

Many people go to festive markets to buy books and flowers, particularly roses, to give to their loved ones on St George's Day. These markets are held in the center of towns and villages, particularly Barcelona. They often include other cultural and literary events, such as book signings and readings of classical Spanish or Catalonian literature.

Many men traditionally present their grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, wives, girlfriends, daughters and other female relatives with roses. Many lovers may present each other with books, roses and other gifts.

Background

St George was a soldier in the Roman army. He is best known for slaying a dragon in the town of Silene somewhere in North Africa. In doing this, he saved the life of a princess.

St George's Day is also celebrated in other places worldwide, including England. The day also ties in with World Book and Copyright Day.

Symbols

Books and roses are the main symbols of St George's Day in Catalonia. A sprig of wheat is often tied to a rose with a piece of red and yellow striped ribbon. This symbolizes the Senyera, a red and yellow stripped flag. This is an ancient symbol of Catalonia and forms the modern flag of this region.

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.