Pentecost in Andorra

The Christian feast

In the Christian calendar, Pentecost closes the Easter season. The Vatican describes it as the feast recalling the Holy Spirit’s coming to the apostles and other disciples gathered in prayer, and as the beginning of the Church’s mission. It falls fifty days after Easter Sunday, so its calendar date changes each year.[1]

Andorra’s labor holiday

Andorra’s Government publishes an annual labor calendar. Its calendar names Dilluns de Pentecosta as a national labor holiday, distinguishing the Monday observance from Pentecost Sunday itself.[3]

The labor rules make listed holidays paid and non-recoverable for workers in sectors including construction, industry, offices, banks, hairdressing, transport and goods distribution, and services not directly related to tourism. Workers in tourism-related sectors receive the same number of holidays, but the days may be moved to another date by agreement between the parties. The annual decree identifies four exceptions to that transfer rule; Pentecost Monday is not among them.[3]

The labor law gives employees the right to enjoy the holidays set in the labor calendar with pay. It also says that, when employees work at different or alternating locations, their employer determines which parish holidays apply, taking the company’s registered office or the work location into account.[2]

What to expect locally

Pentecost celebrates the Christian belief that the Holy Spirit came to Jesus’ disciples. [1]

A labor holiday does not automatically mean that shops must close. Andorra’s commercial-hours rules specify required closure on New Year’s Day, Constitution Day, Our Lady of Meritxell Day and Christmas Day, and Pentecost Monday is not on that list. Shops may set their own opening hours within the applicable limits, so check with individual businesses before visiting.[4]