Clean Monday in Cyprus
Clean Monday, also known as Green Monday, marks the start of Great Lent in Cyprus and is listed as a public holiday. Its observance brings together an Orthodox season of prayer and fasting with outdoor gatherings described in Cyprus tourism material.[1][2][3]
A holiday in the Orthodox calendar
The date moves with the Greek Orthodox Easter calendar. Cyprus’s official tourism information lists Green Monday as a variable public holiday, 50 days before Greek Orthodox Easter.[1]
For the Church of Cyprus, the day opens a period of spiritual preparation. Its guidance describes prayer, fasting, almsgiving, reading Scripture and taking part in church services as ways to approach the season. Fasting is therefore more than a change in diet in the Church’s account of the day.[3]
A public holiday with different workplace rules
Cyprus lists Green Monday among its public holidays. The tourism authority says public services, private businesses, banks and shops are generally closed on public holidays, while noting that many shops and some services in resort and coastal areas may remain open.[1]
The right to time off depends on the type of workplace. The Ministry of Labour says that, for most organizations, time off is set by employment contracts, agreements or collective agreements. It identifies retail shops, hotels and leisure centres as exceptions governed by special laws. Workers in those sectors have paid time off for Shrove Monday; shops may open if employees agree to work, with holiday overtime compensation rules applying.[4]
Outdoor gatherings and fasting
Cyprus tourism material describes Green Monday as a joyful day of outdoor, vegetarian picnics and says that events and activities take place in towns and villages. This gives the holiday a public, social character alongside its religious meaning.[2]
The Church of Cyprus describes fasting as part of the spiritual preparation for Great Lent and encourages prayer and participation in services. Practices vary among individuals; the Church’s guidance presents fasting as religious discipline, not simply a menu for the day.[3]
Planning around the holiday
Visitors should check opening arrangements directly with a particular bank, shop or public service before setting out. The tourism authority notes that some businesses and services, especially in resort and coastal areas, may remain open on public holidays, and the labour guidance allows shops to open on Shrove Monday under the stated employee-consent and compensation conditions.[1][4]
Check with the relevant operator or venue for its holiday schedule.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Is Clean Monday a public holiday in Cyprus?
Are shops and banks open?
What does Clean Monday mark?
It marks the beginning of Great Lent in the Orthodox calendar. The Church of Cyprus describes prayer, fasting, almsgiving, Scripture reading and church services as parts of spiritual preparation for the season.[3]
Are public-transport services reduced?
Check with the relevant transport operator for its holiday timetable.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Clean Monday in Cyprus:
- Time, Working Hours & Holidays- Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Cyprus
- Annual Events 2023- Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Cyprus
- Καθαρή Δευτέρα- Church of Cyprus
- Terms of Employment Defined by Law or Decree (working time, paid leave, right to time off, overtime work, dismissals)- Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Republic of Cyprus