Easter Monday in Latvia

A public holiday under Latvian law

Latvia’s Law on Public Holidays, Commemoration Days, and Celebration Days names Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday as public holidays. The law’s substitute-day provision applies to certain other holidays when they fall on a weekend; it does not name Easter Monday among them.[1]

Under the Labour Law, employees generally cannot be required to work on a public holiday. When work is necessary to keep a process continuous, the employer may require it while providing rest on another day or appropriate remuneration. Employees who do not work on a public holiday that falls on a scheduled workday are entitled to remuneration under the law.[4]

When Easter Monday falls

Easter Monday is the Monday after Easter Sunday, so its calendar date changes from year to year. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes Easter as falling in March or April according to the Western Church calendar, and says the Easter holiday period usually includes Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.[2]

The public-holiday law also recognizes that Orthodox believers, Old Believers and members of other denominations celebrate Easter on the dates set by their denominations.[1]

Latvian Easter customs

Latvian Easter traditions connect the Christian holiday with spring and the return of longer days. Latvia’s official tourism site describes egg painting and rolling, as well as swinging, as familiar parts of the country’s spring customs. These traditions are associated with renewal, life and the arrival of spring.[3]

Eggs are dyed in several ways; boiling them with onion skins is described as a common Latvian method. People also play egg rolling games and tap eggs against one another to see whose shell stays intact. Swinging is another traditional Easter activity. These customs are associated with Easter broadly, rather than with Easter Monday alone.[3]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Latvians attend church during Easter and often celebrate with family or close friends. This combination of religious observance and household customs gives Easter Monday its place in a wider Latvian holiday period.[2]

What visitors should expect

The public-holiday status means employees generally have the right not to work, subject to the Labour Law’s provisions for work that must continue. Check the hours of the specific place or service you plan to use. The Latvian National History Museum lists Easter holidays among its closure dates.[4][5]