All Saints' Day
In Italy All Saints’ Day is a national public holiday celebrated on November 1 to commemorate the Catholic saints.
The Feast of St Mark (La Festa di San Marco) is an annual local public holiday in Venice, Italy, on April 25. It honors St Mark, the city’s patron saint, and coincides with Liberation Day.
Is The Feast of St Mark (Venice) a Public Holiday?
The Feast of St Mark (Venice) is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.
Gondolas at the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
©iStockphoto.com/AmandaLewis
What Do People Do?
One of the highlights during the Feast of St Mark is the Regata di Traghetti, a boat race featuring gondoliers who compete while transporting passengers in their gondolas.
Other events in Venice around this time of the year include:
- Church mass.
- Concerts.
- Carnivals.
- Markets.
Public Life
St Mark’s Day is a local public holiday in Venice so many businesses and public offices are closed.
Background
St Mark (San Marco) is Venice’s patron saint who died on April 25 in 68 CE. He was one of Jesus Christ’s disciples and believed to be author of the Gospel of Mark. It is believed that the relics of St Mark were moved to Venice in 828 CE, where it attracted pilgrims from around Europe.
Symbols
One tradition associated with St Mark’s festival was the Festival of the Blooming Rose, symbolizing love and romance. The custom of giving a rose bud (bocolo) to a loved one is still practiced today.
The Feast of St Mark (Venice) Observances
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Wed | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2019 | Thu | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2020 | Sat | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2021 | Sun | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2022 | Mon | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2023 | Tue | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2024 | Thu | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2025 | Fri | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2026 | Sat | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2027 | Sun | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local holiday |
| 2028 | Tue | Apr 25 | The Feast of St Mark (Venice) | Local 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.
Elsewhere on timeanddate.com
Liberation Day
Celebrated on April 25 each year, Italy’s Liberation Day commemorates when the Allied troops liberated the country from the Nazi occupation during World War II.
Republic Day
Italy’s Republic Day is an annual public holiday on June 2 to commemorates the date Italians voted for their country end the monarchy and become a republic.
The Feast of St. John (Florence, Genoa, Turin)
Florence, Turin and Genoa, in Italy, celebrate their own local holiday, the Feast of St John (Festa di San Giovanni) on June 24 each year.