Easter Monday in Cyprus

Meaning and date

The holiday falls on the Monday after Greek Orthodox Easter. For Orthodox Christians, Easter celebrates Christ’s Resurrection; the Church of Cyprus describes it as the central feast of the church year.[2][5]

Games and food

Traditional Easter games are played after festive meals on Easter Sunday, Easter Monday or Easter Tuesday, often in a village square or churchyard. The Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO records that the games were once played across Cyprus and are still preserved in Pafos town, many Pafos district villages and other areas. Some include egg races and team games; elders often pass the rules on to younger players.[5]

Flaounes, savoury cheese pies made with eggs, cheese, raisins and mint, are a well-known Easter food in Cyprus. Visit Cyprus says they are traditionally prepared on Holy Thursday and eaten after the fast ends; the pies are now also sold in bakeries throughout the year, with greater availability around Easter.[6]

Who gets time off

Cyprus does not set one public-holiday arrangement for every workplace: the Department of Labour Relations says holidays are generally regulated by employment agreements or collective agreements. Shops, catering establishments and hotels are exceptions, with paid holidays set by relevant laws.[3]

The Ministry of Labour lists Easter Monday as paid time off for retail-store employees and for employees in hotels and leisure centres. If hotel staff work on a holiday, they are entitled to an additional daily wage or time in lieu; leisure-centre staff who work receive overtime compensation at a 1:2 rate.[3]

Closures and planning

The government’s employment guide says general shops must remain closed on Easter Monday. The Central Bank identified the day as a bank-closure day in its 2025 holiday notice, so check with your bank for its arrangements. Check with the government office, restaurant or transport operator you plan to use for its hours.[4][7]