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Ascension Day in Belgium

2027 holiday dates

Thursday, 6 May 2027

Confirmed — source checked

This is the first listed date for this year; a separate observance date has not been assigned.

About Ascension Day

Ascension Day is a Belgian statutory holiday on the sixth Thursday after Easter. Dutch and French official names include Hemelvaart and Ascension, and its Thursday position can affect workplace planning.

Public holiday / closure dates

  • — Public of holiday period · Confirmed — source checked

Bank, office and school arrangements require the applicable authority or institution notice. Missing scope data does not mean open.

Next supported occurrence

Thursday, 6 May 2027 · Confirmed — source checked

Next listed holiday day on or after today; this can be a closure day rather than the festival date.

2026 dates

  • — Public of holiday periodConfirmed — source checked

2028 dates

  • — Public of holiday periodConfirmed — source checked

Official sources and date status

Recorded confirmation and independent source review are shown separately. An institution-specific notice does not establish closure for every employer or school.

employment.belgium.be

Official public holiday law or calendar

Confirmed · Scope: public · Checked 2026-09-27

Belgium has ten statutory public holidays. A weekend or normal non-working-day holiday is replaced at workplace level; no single national substitute date is invented here.

Office arrangements

Private-sector workers generally may not be employed on this statutory holiday, except where Belgian law permits Sunday work. The employer owes holiday remuneration and, where applicable, compensatory rest or a substitute day under the federal rules.

Bank arrangements

The National Bank of Belgium publishes its own closure calendar and lists this observance for 2026. Commercial-bank hours and payment-system availability should be checked separately because the NBB list is not a universal retail-bank schedule.

School arrangements

Belgium’s education calendars are community-specific. Families should consult the calendar for the relevant Flemish, French-speaking or German-speaking system and the individual school.

History

Ascension Day is a movable Christian feast observed on the Thursday 39 days after Easter Sunday. Belgium includes it in the statutory ten-holiday list.

Why it matters

Ascension is both a Christian feast and a Thursday statutory holiday, with substitute rules relevant when normal inactivity patterns apply.

Observance

Church observance reflects the Ascension feast, while the Thursday can also form part of a longer break. No uniform celebration is required by the holiday legislation.

Travel and planning

Ascension’s Thursday timing can affect individual travel plans, but service levels come from operators rather than the holiday act. Confirm the timetable for the specific year.

Frequently asked questions

When is Ascension Day?

It is the sixth Thursday after Easter.

Is Friday automatically a private-sector holiday?

No. A bridge day or other arrangement depends on the relevant public-service, sector or employer rules.

Is Ascension statutory?

Yes.

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