Saint Stephen's Day
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Saint Stephen's Day | |
---|---|
Also called | Feast of Saint Stephen |
Observed by | Christians |
Type | Christian |
Date |
|
Frequency | Annual |
Related to | Boxing Day (concurrent), Christmastide, Wren Day |
Saint Stephen's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Stephen, is a Christian
It is an official public holiday in
History
Saint Stephen's Day is the
Celebrations by country
Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, the day is one of ten official public holidays.[5] Its name is sometimes shortened to "Stephen's Day", particularly in informal contexts.[6]
In the
In most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, the day is usually known as Boxing Day, especially in Northern Ireland and County Donegal.[10][11][12]
Wales
Saint Stephen's Day in Wales is known as Gŵyl San Steffan, celebrated every year on 26 December. One ancient Welsh custom, discontinued in the 19th century, included bleeding of livestock and "holming" by beating with holly branches of late risers and female servants. The ceremony reputedly brought good luck.[13]
Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Valencian Country (Spain)
Saint Stephen's Day (Sant Esteve) on 26 December is a
Italy
In Italy, Saint Stephen's Day became a public holiday in 1947, where previously it was a normal working day; the Catholic Church also celebrates it as a religious holiday, even if not as a precept, as it is in Germany and other German-speaking countries. The reason for the public holiday in Italy, not required by the Catholic Church despite the fame of the saint, is to be found in the intention of prolonging the Christmas holiday, creating two consecutive public holidays, which also happens in the case of Easter Monday, a non-religious holiday, but which only wants to lengthen Easter.[14] Before 1947 the two days were working days, with banks and offices open.
Alsace and Moselle
Saint Stephen's Day (la Saint Étienne) is marked as a public holiday as part of its shared culture across the Rhine River with Germany.[15][16]
Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland
Stephanitag is a public holiday in mainly Catholic Austria. In the Archdiocese of Vienna, the day of patron saint Saint Stephen is even celebrated on the feast of the Holy Family. Similar to the adjacent regions of Bavaria, numerous ancient customs still continued to this day, such as ceremonial horseback rides and blessing of horses, or the "stoning" drinking rite celebrated by young men after attending Mass.
The 26th of December is – as Second Day of Christmas (German: Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag, Dutch: Tweede kerstdag, Czech: druhý svátek vánoční, Polish: drugi dzień świąt) – a public holiday in Poland, Germany, The Netherlands and the Czech Republic.
Hungary, Szekler Transylvania, Csángó land
On this day, the men of the villages went to the girls' houses for a Stephen's Day regélés (a custom that also appears in different versions at various times of the year). They wore sheepskin furs and used a bagpipe and a chained stick to make music. The ritual was also a fertility charm, a custom of ancient pagan origin. They told their good wishes, and sang songs to match the young, while the other boys asked for donations from the hosts and girls gave bokrétas.
Republika Srpska
Saint Stephen is also the patron saint of Republika Srpska, one of two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. St. Stephen's Day, 9 January, is celebrated as the Day of the Republika Srpska or Dan Republike, though mainly as an anniversary of the 1992 events rather than as a religious feast.
Finland
The best-known tradition linked to the Stephen's Day (
Another old tradition was parades with singers and people dressed in Christmas suits. At some areas these parades were related to checking forthcoming brides. Stephen's Day used to be a popular day for weddings as well. These days a related tradition is dances of Stephen's Day which are held in several restaurants and dance halls.
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, the Orthodox Church celebrates Saint Stephen's Day, also called Stefanov Den (Bulgarian: Стефанов ден), on the third day after Christmas - December 27.[17] On this day, the ones who have a nameday are given gifts.[18]
See also
References
- ISBN 9780716620037.
The remainder of Christmas Day is spent snacking, playing with toys, reading new books, or napping. December 26 is a legal holiday, and is called "Second Day Christmas." It is also Saint Stephen's Day—the feast day of a Christian missionary, once a stable boy, who came to Sweden around A.D. 1050.
- ISBN 9780786468270.
On Saint Stephen's Day (December 26, "Second Christmas Day"), families make traditional visits to friends and relatives.
- ISBN 978-1-62029-108-5.
- ^ "St. Stephen's Day". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ "Public holidays in Ireland". www.citizensinformation.ie. 16 January 2017. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
- ^ "Why is Stephen's Day called Boxing Day? 12 yuletide questions answered". Irish Times. 18 December 2018. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "Christmas and New Year in Ireland Long Ago".
- ^ "Christmas in Ireland: The Wren Boys". Archived from the original on 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Saint Stephen's Day in Ireland". TimeAndDate.com.
- ^ Boxing Day tragedy in Donegal as man dies in crash (Donegal News, 26 December 2019). https://donegalnews.com/2019/12/boxing-day-tragedy-in-donegal-as-man-dies-in-crash
- ^ Donegal couple devastated after losing home in Boxing Day fire (Donegal Daily, 29 December 2017). https://www.donegaldaily.com/2017/12/29/donegal-couple-devastated-after-losing-home-in-boxing-day-fire
- ^ Boxing Day / St. Stephen's Day - Which is more common in Donegal? (Boards.ie, December 2009). https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/63643567#Comment_63643567
- ^ "Wales on Britannia: Welsh Culture & Traditions". www.britannia.com.
- ^ "Santo Stefano: perché si festeggia il 26 dicembre?" (in Italian). Retrieved 28 December 2022.
- ^ Barreiro, Nicolas (26 December 2020). "Fêtes de fin d'année : pourquoi le 26 décembre est-il férié en Alsace ?". RTL (in French). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ Zaugra, Nicolas (26 December 2017). "Pourquoi le 26 décembre est-il férié en Alsace et en Moselle ?". actu.fr (in French). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ "STEFANOVDEN (St. Stephen or Stefan's Day) - December 27". plovdivguide.com.
- ^ "27 Декември - Стефановден". imen-den.net.