Geez New Year in Eritrea

A national religious holiday

A U.S. Department of State report describes Eritrean Orthodox (Ge’ez) New Year as one of the religious holidays observed as a national holiday by the government. Check with your employer about time off. The official calendar lists no substitute day.[1]

The holiday is associated with Eritrean Orthodox tradition and is commonly called Kudus Yohannes. A Ministry of Information feature describes it as the Geez calendar’s New Year and connects it with the turning of the season.[2][3]

A seasonal turning point

In Eritrean descriptions, the holiday comes as the rainy season ends and a sunnier season begins. The Ministry of Information account also connects the seasonal change with the hoped-for harvest, giving the observance both a new-year meaning and an agricultural one.[2][3]

The Geez calendar’s year is described in an Eritrean Ministry of Information article as having twelve months of thirty days, followed by Pagumen, a short period of additional days before the new year. The article describes Pagumen as a time associated with the close of the rainy season and preparations for the new year.[2]

Hoye Hoye and neighborhood customs

On the eve, children and young people may carry torches made from dry sticks through their neighborhood while chanting “hoye hoye.” In accounts from Eritrea, people cross the torches as a gesture of good wishes for the year ahead; singing children may receive small tips or food from passersby and neighbors.[2][3]

Descriptions of village customs include young people gathering near the church and continuing with songs, dancing and games. Ministry reporting also records public holiday celebrations in different regions, including a cultural event in Gash Barka with local cultural groups.[3][4]

Family meals and food

Families may gather, visit relatives and share a meal. One Eritrean account describes households preparing chicken stew and holding a coffee ceremony; another identifies qatenia, made with injera, melted butter and pepper, as a traditional food for the eve. Customs vary between accounts and communities, so these are examples rather than a single required menu.[2][3]

What travelers should know

Because Geez New Year is identified as a national holiday, public celebrations may take place alongside family observances. Check opening hours and transport timetables with local services before making plans.[1][4]