The Day of Repentance and Prayer falls on Wednesday 18 November in 2026. It is a statutory public holiday only in Saxony; Bavaria has no classes statewide, but the day is not a public holiday there.
Saxony's public holiday and Bavaria's school rule are not the same thing.
Public holiday in Saxony. The Day of Repentance and Prayer falls on Wednesday 18 November in 2026. Bavaria has no classes statewide, but the date is not a public holiday there. Outside Saxony, the date therefore creates no general entitlement to time off work.
An accurate calendar needs two separate entries: public-holiday status based on workplace and the no-class rule based on school location.
Assumption: Monday-Friday working week.
Workplace applicability is not confirmed; no leave days are preselected. Local or partial employment entitlement for Day of Repentance and Prayer (2026-11-18) at the workplace in Germany must be confirmed with the municipality and employer.
Maximize your free time around Day of Repentance and Prayer:
Pay, rosters and opening hours follow the actual location.
For commuters and distributed teams, the actual workplace determines the holiday rule. A Saxon site may be closed while colleagues, customers and suppliers in Bavaria or elsewhere remain available as usual.
The actual workplace determines public-holiday status. A home address or company headquarters in Saxony does not automatically give a workplace elsewhere the day off.
Section 2 of the Continued Remuneration Act covers pay when work is lost because of the Saxon public holiday. Section 9 of the Working Time Act provides the federal framework for scheduled holiday work.
Saxon offices, shops and worksites may close while contacts in other states remain available. Use the published hours of the specific organisation or operator.
Outside Saxony, a day without classes says nothing about a parent's working hours.
The statutory public holiday covers work and school. Childcare providers may still publish their own arrangements or emergency provision.
Classes are cancelled at every school, although the date is not a statutory public holiday. Parents generally work as usual and need to arrange childcare separately.
Neither Saxony's public holiday nor Bavaria's statewide no-class rule carries over. Follow the relevant school calendar and local notice.
The church observance, local services and a possible five-day break remain separate decisions.
In the Protestant calendar, the Day of Repentance and Prayer is dedicated to reflection, repentance and prayer. Its religious significance extends beyond Saxony, but its statutory public-holiday status does not.
Because it always falls on a Wednesday, it does not create a long weekend by itself. In Saxony, approved leave or flexitime on 19 and 20 November can connect the holiday to the weekend for five days off; church services, childcare and travel times can then be added to the plan.
Open the relevant calendar or tool below.