Wesak Day around the world in 2024

Wesak Day around the world in 2024
  How long until Wesak Day?
Wesak Day
  Dates of Wesak Day around the world
2025 Various May 12, May 13
IndonesiaMon, May 12National Holiday
MalaysiaMon, May 12National Holiday
Sri Lanka May 12, May 13
Sri LankaTue, May 13National Holiday (additional day)
Sri LankaMon, May 12National Holiday
2024 Various May 22, May 23, May 24
Indonesia May 23, May 24
IndonesiaFri, May 24National Holiday (additional day)
IndonesiaThu, May 23National Holiday
MalaysiaWed, May 22National Holiday
Sri Lanka May 23, May 24
Sri LankaFri, May 24National Holiday (additional day)
Sri LankaThu, May 23National Holiday
2023 Various May 4, May 5, May 6, Jun 2, Jun 4
Indonesia Jun 2, Jun 4
IndonesiaSun, Jun 4National Holiday
IndonesiaFri, Jun 2National Holiday (additional day)
MalaysiaThu, May 4National Holiday
Sri Lanka May 5, May 6
Sri LankaSat, May 6National Holiday (additional day)
Sri LankaFri, May 5National Holiday
2022 Various May 15, May 16
IndonesiaMon, May 16National Holiday
Malaysia May 15, May 16
Kuala LumpurMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
LabuanMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
MelakaMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
Negeri SembilanMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
PahangMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
PenangMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
PerakMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
PerlisMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
PutrajayaMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
SabahMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
SarawakMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
SelangorMon, May 16Regional Holiday (in lieu)
MalaysiaSun, May 15National Holiday
Sri Lanka May 15, May 16
Sri LankaMon, May 16National Holiday
Sri LankaSun, May 15National Holiday
2021 Various May 26, May 27
IndonesiaWed, May 26National Holiday
MalaysiaWed, May 26National Holiday
Sri Lanka May 26, May 27
Sri LankaThu, May 27National Holiday (additional day)
Sri LankaWed, May 26National Holiday
  Summary

Marks three key events in Buddhas life - his birthday, the enlightenment and his achievement of Nirvana

  Which countries observe Wesak Day in 2024?
National Holiday Regional Holiday Not a public holiday Govt Holiday
Related holidays

When is Wesak Day?

Wesak Day is a Holy Day for Buddhists. In fact, it is considered the holiest day in the Buddhist Calendar.

The Buddha's birthday is observed annually on the Sunday nearest to the full moon in May. It is a holiday observed by Buddhists across the world, though the exact date may differ from country to country.

In Malaysia, Wesak Day is also considered one of the country's major festivals. Buddhism is the second-largest religion after Islam.

In Indonesia, the holiday is known as Waisak Day.

History of Wesak Day

Besides being the time of the year when Buddhist temples sport a beautiful display of lights, it is also the time when Buddhists spend the whole sacred day at temples meditating, chanting prayers and offering alms to Buddhist monks.

An example of the celebrations at a temple during Wesak Day is the Vihara Temple at Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. The celebrations start at sunrise when devotees gather at the temples to meditate. In the evening, a candlelight procession from the temple to Kuala Lumpur city takes place. Many thousands of Buddhists and spectators line the route of the procession, which is led by a decorated float with a statue of the Buddha in it.

After the procession returns to the temple, a special open-air blessing service is performed and a sermon on the significance of Wesak Day is held. Traditionally the rest of the night is spent with devoted meditating, chanting and offering prayers to Lord Buddha by monks in saffron robes.

To summarise, Wesak is important because it marks three key events in Lord Gautama Buddha's life - his birthday, the enlightenment and his achievement of Nirvana.

Even though followers of Buddhism have been celebrating Buddhist festivals for centuries, the decision to celebrate Wesak as Buddha's birthday was only taken at the first conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists held in Sri Lanka in 1950. 


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