Public holiday in Malta
St. Joseph's Day in Malta
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Nationwide public holiday
St. Joseph’s Day is a nationwide public holiday in Malta on 19 March. It marks the feast of Saint Joseph and gives residents a day off in a calendar that also includes several other Maltese religious public holidays.
About St. Joseph's Day in Malta
In Malta, St. Joseph’s Day is one of the country’s official public holidays and is observed nationwide on 19 March. It is part of Malta’s holiday calendar of feast days, where religious observance and a day away from normal routines often overlap. The date is also relevant in practical terms because it falls between other spring observances in the Maltese calendar, so it can shape school and workplace schedules around mid-March.
History
St. Joseph has long been honoured in Maltese Catholic life, and the feast became established as a public holiday in Malta’s modern holiday calendar. The nationwide observance reflects the country’s longstanding public recognition of major Catholic feast days.
Traditions
In Malta, the day is associated with Catholic observance of Saint Joseph rather than with a single nationwide secular custom. In some places, churches hold special Masses or devotions in his honour, and local communities may mark the feast with religious and family gatherings.
How St. Joseph's Day is celebrated in Malta
Today, the holiday is generally observed as a quiet public holiday across Malta. Many people use the day for rest, family time or church attendance, while towns and parishes that honour Saint Joseph may organise religious services or local festivities.
Interesting facts
St. Joseph is the patron saint of workers and of the universal Church, a connection that helps explain why his feast is widely recognised in Catholic countries like Malta. Malta’s holiday calendar includes several feast-day public holidays, so St. Joseph’s Day sits within a broader pattern of religious holidays that are also official non-working days.
Dates in published calendars
| Year | Holiday date | Observed date | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 19 Mar 2026 | — | Nationwide |
Import sources
- Generic ICS feed
An import is not an independent verification.