Immaculate Conception Day around the world in 2024


  How long until Immaculate Conception Day?
Immaculate Conception Day
  Dates of Immaculate Conception Day around the world
2025 Various Dec 8
AndorraMon, Dec 8National Holiday
ArgentinaMon, Dec 8National Holiday
AustriaMon, Dec 8National Holiday
ChileMon, Dec 8National Holiday
ColombiaMon, Dec 8National Holiday
East TimorMon, Dec 8National Holiday
Equatorial GuineaMon, Dec 8National Holiday
ItalyMon, Dec 8National Holiday
LiechtensteinMon, Dec 8National Holiday
MacauMon, Dec 8National Holiday
MaltaMon, Dec 8National Holiday
MonacoMon, Dec 8National Holiday
NicaraguaMon, Dec 8National Holiday
ParaguayMon, Dec 8National Holiday
PeruMon, Dec 8National Holiday
PhilippinesMon, Dec 8National Holiday
PortugalMon, Dec 8National Holiday
San MarinoMon, Dec 8National Holiday
SeychellesMon, Dec 8National Holiday
SpainMon, Dec 8National Holiday
Switzerland Dec 8
AargauMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Appenzell InnerrhodenMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
FribourgMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
GraubündenMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
LucerneMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
NidwaldenMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ObwaldenMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SchwyzMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SolothurnMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
TicinoMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
UriMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ValaisMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ZugMon, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Vatican CityMon, Dec 8National Holiday
VenezuelaMon, Dec 8Not A Public Holiday
2024 Various Dec 8, Dec 9
AndorraSun, Dec 8National Holiday
ArgentinaSun, Dec 8National Holiday
AustriaSun, Dec 8National Holiday
ChileSun, Dec 8National Holiday
ColombiaSun, Dec 8National Holiday
East TimorSun, Dec 8National Holiday
Equatorial Guinea Dec 8, Dec 9
Equatorial GuineaMon, Dec 9National Holiday (in lieu)
Equatorial GuineaSun, Dec 8National Holiday
ItalySun, Dec 8National Holiday
LiechtensteinSun, Dec 8National Holiday
Macau Dec 8, Dec 9
MacauMon, Dec 9National Holiday
MacauSun, Dec 8National Holiday
MaltaSun, Dec 8National Holiday
MonacoSun, Dec 8National Holiday
NicaraguaSun, Dec 8National Holiday
ParaguaySun, Dec 8National Holiday
PeruSun, Dec 8National Holiday
PhilippinesSun, Dec 8National Holiday
PortugalSun, Dec 8National Holiday
San MarinoSun, Dec 8National Holiday
SeychellesSun, Dec 8National Holiday
Spain Dec 8, Dec 9
AndalucíaMon, Dec 9Regional Holiday (in lieu)
AragonMon, Dec 9Regional Holiday (in lieu)
Castile and LeónMon, Dec 9Regional Holiday (in lieu)
ExtremaduraMon, Dec 9Regional Holiday (in lieu)
MelillaMon, Dec 9Regional Holiday (in lieu)
MurciaMon, Dec 9Regional Holiday (in lieu)
SpainSun, Dec 8National Holiday
Switzerland Dec 8
AargauSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Appenzell InnerrhodenSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
FribourgSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
GraubündenSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
LucerneSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
NidwaldenSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ObwaldenSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SchwyzSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SolothurnSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
TicinoSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
UriSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ValaisSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ZugSun, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Vatican CitySun, Dec 8National Holiday
VenezuelaSun, Dec 8Not A Public Holiday
2023 Various Dec 8
AndorraFri, Dec 8National Holiday
ArgentinaFri, Dec 8National Holiday
AustriaFri, Dec 8National Holiday
ChileFri, Dec 8National Holiday
ColombiaFri, Dec 8National Holiday
East TimorFri, Dec 8National Holiday
Equatorial GuineaFri, Dec 8National Holiday
ItalyFri, Dec 8National Holiday
LiechtensteinFri, Dec 8National Holiday
MacauFri, Dec 8National Holiday
MaltaFri, Dec 8National Holiday
MonacoFri, Dec 8National Holiday
NicaraguaFri, Dec 8National Holiday
ParaguayFri, Dec 8National Holiday
PeruFri, Dec 8National Holiday
PhilippinesFri, Dec 8National Holiday
PortugalFri, Dec 8National Holiday
San MarinoFri, Dec 8National Holiday
SeychellesFri, Dec 8National Holiday
SpainFri, Dec 8National Holiday
Switzerland Dec 8
AargauFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Appenzell InnerrhodenFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
FribourgFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
GraubündenFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
LucerneFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
NidwaldenFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ObwaldenFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SchwyzFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SolothurnFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
TicinoFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
UriFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ValaisFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ZugFri, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Vatican CityFri, Dec 8National Holiday
VenezuelaFri, Dec 8Not A Public Holiday
2022 Various Dec 8, Dec 9
AndorraThu, Dec 8National Holiday
Argentina Dec 8, Dec 9
ArgentinaFri, Dec 9National Holiday (bridge day)
ArgentinaThu, Dec 8National Holiday
AustriaThu, Dec 8National Holiday
ChileThu, Dec 8National Holiday
ColombiaThu, Dec 8National Holiday
East TimorThu, Dec 8National Holiday
Equatorial GuineaThu, Dec 8National Holiday
ItalyThu, Dec 8National Holiday
LiechtensteinThu, Dec 8National Holiday
MacauThu, Dec 8National Holiday
MaltaThu, Dec 8National Holiday
MonacoThu, Dec 8National Holiday
NicaraguaThu, Dec 8National Holiday
ParaguayThu, Dec 8National Holiday
PeruThu, Dec 8National Holiday
PhilippinesThu, Dec 8National Holiday
PortugalThu, Dec 8National Holiday
San MarinoThu, Dec 8National Holiday
SeychellesThu, Dec 8National Holiday
SpainThu, Dec 8National Holiday
Switzerland Dec 8
AargauThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Appenzell InnerrhodenThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
FribourgThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
GraubündenThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
LucerneThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
NidwaldenThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ObwaldenThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SchwyzThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SolothurnThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
TicinoThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
UriThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ValaisThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ZugThu, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Vatican CityThu, Dec 8National Holiday
VenezuelaThu, Dec 8Not A Public Holiday
2021 Various Dec 8
AndorraWed, Dec 8National Holiday
ArgentinaWed, Dec 8National Holiday
AustriaWed, Dec 8National Holiday
ChileWed, Dec 8National Holiday
ColombiaWed, Dec 8National Holiday
East TimorWed, Dec 8National Holiday
Equatorial GuineaWed, Dec 8National Holiday
ItalyWed, Dec 8National Holiday
LiechtensteinWed, Dec 8National Holiday
MacauWed, Dec 8National Holiday
MaltaWed, Dec 8National Holiday
MonacoWed, Dec 8National Holiday
NicaraguaWed, Dec 8National Holiday
ParaguayWed, Dec 8National Holiday
PeruWed, Dec 8National Holiday
PhilippinesWed, Dec 8National Holiday
PortugalWed, Dec 8National Holiday
San MarinoWed, Dec 8National Holiday
SeychellesWed, Dec 8National Holiday
SpainWed, Dec 8National Holiday
Switzerland Dec 8
AargauWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Appenzell InnerrhodenWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
FribourgWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
GraubündenWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
LucerneWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
NidwaldenWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ObwaldenWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SchwyzWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
SolothurnWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
TicinoWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
UriWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ValaisWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
ZugWed, Dec 8Regional Holiday
Vatican CityWed, Dec 8National Holiday
VenezuelaWed, Dec 8Not A Public Holiday
  Summary

It is a day that celebrates the belief that Mary, mother of Jesus, was preserved from original sin all of her life

  Which countries observe Immaculate Conception Day in 2024?
National Holiday Regional Holiday Not a public holiday Govt Holiday

When is Immaculate Conception?

Any Christian holiday that takes place in December is always in the shadow of Christmas Day. It is therefore surprising to some to see how many countries observe this holiday.

On December 8th, many countries including Argentina, Austria, Chile, Colombia, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with a public holiday.

In the Philippines in 2017, President Duterte signed a law that declared the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th as a national holiday in recognition of the Filipinos’ strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This has now become a special working day.

This day is also a holiday in Panama, who celebrate Mother's Day with a public holiday on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Guam also observe a public holiday to venerate a statue of Mary on December 8th. 

History of Immaculate Conception

It is a day that celebrates the belief that Mary, mother of Jesus, was preserved from original sin all of her life.

For Roman Catholics, it is observed as a day of obligation with required church attendance.

The Immaculate Conception is a day whose meaning is often confused. By the sounds of it, one would think we would celebrate the day Jesus was conceived*. On the contrary, it is the day that the Blessed Mother Mary was conceived. 

Mary's mother was St. Anne and her father was Joachim. While they are not mentioned in the bible, their names appear in some very early Christian texts. Anne and Joachim had been a childless couple until an angel appeared telling Anne that she would give birth to a child that the world would honour. Anne became a saint as she offered her child to God's service.

This day has been celebrated since at least the eighth century, but the idea that the word immaculate means that Mary was born without original sin divided many theological scholars over the centuries. It wasn't until 1854 that the argument was decided when Pope Pious IX proclaimed this belief to be an essential dogma of the Roman Catholic Church.

*If you think about it, December 8th is unlikely to be the date that Jesus was "conceived". It is the Feast of the Annunciation that celebrates the visit of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce to her that she would become the mother of Jesus. The date of the Feast of the Annunciation is March 25th - nine months before Christmas Day. Once the date of Christmas was finally accepted, then the March 25th was a no-brainer to be the date of the annunciation.


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