28-05-2025
Why Ascension Day is a public holiday in Norway
Ascension day, or Kristi himmelfartsdag in Norwegian, is the day that Christians believe marks the day that Jesus ascended to heaven.
It's always 40 days after Easter Sunday and 10 days before Pentecost, which means that its exact date varies from year to year.
However, it always falls on a Thursday, offering the opportunity of an
inneklemt dag
, meaning it is squeezed between a public holiday and a weekend. This means many who have planned ahead will have also booked the Friday off to enjoy four days off.
But why does Norway give people a day off work on this day?
Ascension is actually one of the oldest religious holidays and, in some ways, one of the most important days in the Christian calendar as it symbolizes Jesus' return to God.
The tradition of observing Ascension Day dates back centuries and was widely celebrated by the fourth century.
Norway isn't alone in designating the day as a public holiday, as Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and Denmark all get a day off.
The day is a public holiday in Norway due to the historical connection between church and state. The Lutheran Church was the state church until 2012 with the church and state being formally separated in 2017.
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Therefore, many Christian feast days like Ascension Day are enshrined in law as public holidays. Norway has a law on public holidays,
Lov om helligdager og helligdagsfred
, that ensures businesses close on certain days of the year.
In addition, the Working Environment Act restricts employees from working on public holidays, except in essential sectors like healthcare or transport. Those who do work on these days are entitled to extra pay, as outlined in collective agreements or employment contracts.
Unlike other public holidays like Easter or Christmas, Ascension Day isn't associated with any particular meal, cake or custom.
However, some religious Norwegians will attend special church services - typically held outside if the weather permits it.
When it comes to most people, they'll use the long weekend to travel or visit family, catch up on some rest, or try and spend some time outdoors in some pleasant spring weather.
