All Saints’ Day in Madagascar
All Saints’ Day falls on November 1 in Madagascar and is included in the country’s public holiday calendar. Malagasy law treats listed public holidays as paid days off, subject to exceptions for work that cannot stop because of its nature.[1][2]
A Christian feast and a national day off
In Christian tradition, All Saints’ Day honours saints collectively. The feast developed over centuries: observances spread from the Eastern Church, and November 1 was adopted in Rome from the ninth century.[3]
Madagascar’s Labour Code says public holidays are non-working and paid, with the annual list set by government decree. A Malagasy decree lists Toussaint, or All Saints’ Day, on November 1; it also allows exceptions for establishments and workers whose activities cannot be interrupted. The cited law and decree do not establish a general Monday replacement when the date falls on a weekend.[1][2]
Prayer and remembrance in Madagascar
A documented example from Akamasoa describes a morning Eucharist for All Saints’ Day followed by a visit to the cemetery to pray for the dead and bless graves. The account connects the feast’s Christian focus on holiness with remembrance of deceased people; it describes Akamasoa and should not be taken as a report of one uniform custom across Madagascar.[4]
The available evidence does not establish a single national menu, flower custom, or regional pattern for the day. Claims that all families repaint tombs, travel to ancestral villages, or share a particular dish are therefore best treated cautiously. The Akamasoa account confirms a church service and cemetery prayers, but does not document those broader practices.[4]
Work, services and planning
For workers covered by the Labour Code, a listed public holiday is ordinarily a paid day off. The annual decree permits specified exceptions where work cannot be interrupted; it does not mean every workplace must close. Public agents, independent workers and maritime workers are outside the Code’s stated scope, so the employee rule should not be assumed to describe every worker.[1][2]
Confirm opening hours directly with the service or business you plan to use. The holiday calendar lists no substitute or observed day.[1][2]
Frequently asked questions
When is All Saints’ Day in Madagascar?
It is observed on November 1. Malagasy annual holiday decrees list Toussaint on that date.[2]
Is it a paid day off?
Is there a substitute day when November 1 is on a weekend?
What is open on the holiday?
Check with the specific bank, shop, school or transport operator before travelling, as each sets its own hours.
Sources and references
Sources used for All Saints' Day in Madagascar:
- LOI n° 2024-014 portant Code du travail- Centre National d'Information et de Documentation Législative et Juridique
- Décret n° 2025 -005 fixant la liste des jours fériés, chômés et payés au titre de l’année 2025- Centre National d'Information et de Documentation Législative et Juridique
- Solemnity of All Saints- Vatican News
- NOVEMBER 1, 2017 – All Saints Day in Akamasoa.- Madagascar Foundation