Ascension Day in Congo - Brazzaville
Ascension Day is a nationwide public holiday in the Republic of the Congo, where the law classifies it as a day off with pay. Its date moves with Easter, while the country’s holiday law names it as Ascension Thursday.[1][2]
Legal status in the Republic of the Congo
Law No. 2-94 of 1 March 1994 lists Ascension Thursday among the days that are public holidays, non-working and paid throughout the Republic of the Congo. The same list includes Easter Monday and Whit Monday, placing Ascension within the country’s statutory calendar of Christian observances.[1]
The law’s third article refers pay arrangements for hourly, daily and piece-rate workers to regulations in force.[1]
Date and Christian meaning
Ascension is a movable feast: it is observed on Thursday, forty days after Easter, and commemorates Christians’ belief that Jesus ascended into heaven after his resurrection.[2] The Republic of the Congo’s law names the holiday as Thursday of the Ascension.[1]
The Congolese statute establishes the holiday’s national legal status, but it does not describe when or why the feast was first included in the country’s calendar. The history of its inclusion in Congolese law should therefore not be inferred from the law’s listing alone.[1]
Observance and practical planning
Ascension Day is a Christian feast observed on Thursday, forty days after Easter.[1][2]
The statutory designation means the day is non-working and paid under the law. The law does not give opening hours for individual government offices, banks, shops or transport services, so residents and travelers should check directly with the service they plan to use.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Is Ascension Day a paid public holiday in Congo-Brazzaville?
Yes. Law No. 2-94 lists Ascension Thursday as a public holiday that is non-working and paid throughout the Republic of the Congo. It refers certain pay arrangements to regulations in force.[1]
When is Ascension Day observed?
Are banks, shops and public transport open?
The law establishes the day as non-working but does not specify opening hours for particular services. Check with the bank, shop or transport provider before making plans.[1]
Is there a substitute day if Ascension Day falls on a weekend?
The cited holiday law names Ascension Thursday but does not state a substitute-day rule.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Ascension Day in Congo - Brazzaville:
- Loi n° 2 - 94 du 1er Mars 1994 — Fixant les jours fériés, chômés et payés- Secrétariat Général du Gouvernement de la République du Congo
- 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Ascension, Feast of the- Encyclopædia Britannica