Angola is a country with an interesting culture and a long history. It has many special days off during the year. Some days celebrate Angola’s fight to be free. Other days celebrate the birth of Jesus. These special days let Angolans come together, think about their past, and plan for the future.
Whether it is the fun celebrations of Carnival or the quiet remembrance of Peace Day, each special day is important to the people of Angola. Let’s look at the holidays in Angola in 2025. We will also learn about the customs and meanings behind the holidays.
Public Holidays In Angola In 2025
There are a total of 17 public holidays in Angola in 2025, with three falling on weekends.
New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day, January 1st, marks the start of the new year in the Gregorian calendar used by Angola. It means new starts, new hopes, and new chances as Angolans think about the past year and make plans.
People celebrate this day with church services, family meals, fireworks, and city festivities. It celebrates Angola’s cultural ties and shared traditions with Portuguese colonizers who brought the Gregorian calendar. The holiday means fresh beginnings, feeling good about the future, and coming together as a new year starts in Angola.
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Liberation Movement Day
Liberation Movement Day is on February 4, 2025. It marks the start of the fight against Portugal’s rule over Angola in 1961. It honors the group that fought for Angola’s freedom from Portugal’s control.
On this day, people rallied, gave speeches, held cultural events, and sang songs about their country. The day encouraged people to think about Angola’s struggle for freedom and the sacrifices made to end Portugal’s oppression. It brought people together and thanked all those who helped free Angola.
Carnival
Carnival Monday and Tuesday are the biggest days of the Carnival season in Angola. There were huge street parties and parades before the Christian time of Lent.
These days are the last chance to eat lots of food before the Lenten fasting begins on Ash Wednesday. People will use up foods like eggs, milk, and flour by making pancakes. Carnival Monday and Tuesday are on March 3 and 4, 2025.
This holiday shows Angola’s mix of cultures from Brazil and Portugal. Carnival in Angola is a fun way for people to be creative and come together before the more serious Easter season starts.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is on March 8th. It celebrates what women in Angola have achieved in society, the economy, culture, and politics. The holiday promotes women’s rights and talks about why men and women should be equal through rallies, meetings, and speeches.
It shows Angola’s efforts to move away from traditional attitudes that favored men and to give women more power. It honors the strength and successes of Angolan women since independence while pushing for more progress. This day confirms Angola’s commitment to improving the status and opportunities for women.
Southern Africa Liberation Day
Southern Africa Liberation Day is on March 23, 2025. It marks the end of the big Battle of Cuito Cuanavale in 1988. This was the largest armed fight and biggest battle in Africa after World War II. On this day, there are speeches, cultural events, and thoughts about the fight against white minority rule in the area.
It celebrates African unity and the sacrifices made for freedom from oppression. This day highlights Angola’s historic connections with neighboring countries through their shared experience of resisting colonial rule.
Peace Day
Peace Day is on April 4th. It marks 2002 when Angola’s government and rebel groups signed an agreement to stop fighting. This ended Angola’s 27-year civil war. It celebrates peace and democracy, returning to Angola after many decades of armed conflict inside the country.
The day reminds us of the sacrifices made during Angola’s struggle for stability, healing, and bringing people back together. It honors all those who worked to get the fighting groups to talk and make peace. This day represents Angola’s commitment to national unity, rebuilding, and a peaceful future after the destruction of war.
Good Friday
Good Friday is a public holiday in Angola celebrated by Christians. It is a day to remember when Jesus was put on the cross and died. People believe that Jesus died for all the wrong things people have done. Good Friday is a sad day as people remember Jesus’ suffering.
On Good Friday in Angola, churches hold special services. The stations of the Cross are where people remember the different steps of Jesus’ journey to the cross. People also show respect for the cross and act out the story of Jesus’ crucifixion.
This sad day is important for Christian beliefs about being saved and made right with God. Good Friday leads to Easter Sunday when people celebrate that Jesus came back to life.
May Day
May Day, or Labor Day on May 1st, is a public holiday in Angola. It honors the contributions, rights, and achievements of workers across the country. Its origins trace back to late 19th-century international labor movements demanding better working conditions.
The day has its roots in the eight-hour day movement, which advocates for eight hours of work, eight hours of entertainment, and eight hours of rest. It recognizes Angolan workers while advocating for further labor rights protections and reforms.
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National Hero Day
Sep 17 is National Hero Day in Angola. This holiday honors the birthday of Agostinho Neto, the first President of Angola. Neto was born on Sep 17, 1922, in the Bengo province of Angola. In 2025, Sep 17 will be National Hero Day.
This holiday celebrates Neto’s leadership in the fight against colonial rule in Angola. He was an essential political and military leader during the struggle for Angola’s independence. It recognizes Neto as a symbol of Angolan pride, resistance, and unity with other African countries. It also honors his role in Angola’s fight for freedom and independence.
All Souls’ Day
All Souls’ Day on November 2nd is a Catholic occasion to remember and pray for the souls of loved ones who have died. People visit gravesites, leave flowers, light candles, and go to church services to honor deceased relatives.
The day reflects the Angolan belief in maintaining a spiritual connection to ancestors after death. The holiday provides comfort through faith in the afterlife and continuing bonds with those who came before. It reaffirms Angolan Catholic devotional traditions surrounding the remembrance of the dead.
Independence Day
November 11th is Independence Day in Angola. This holiday was celebrated when Angola became independent from Portugal in 1975. Before this, Angola was a Portuguese colony. But, the people of Angola fought hard in an armed struggle to become a free and independent country.
There are speeches from political leaders, cultural performances, music, and remembrance of the people who fought for Angola’s freedom. This holiday is about honoring the sacrifices made to end colonial rule in Angola. It represents the country’s pride in becoming self-governing and starting a new chapter as a free nation.
Christmas Day
Christmas Day is on December 25th. It is an important religious and cultural holiday when Angolan Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. People celebrate with special church services, plays about Jesus’s birth, meals with family, gifts and decorations.
Christmas Day shows Angola’s mostly Christian beliefs and traditions from Portugal’s colonial rule. For Angolans, Christmas Day is a time of faith, kindness, and community spirit. It gives them spiritual renewal to end one year and start fresh in the new year ahead.
Please check below the complete list of the public holidays in Angola in 2025.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
| New Year’s Day | Jan 01, 2025 | Wednesday |
| Liberation Movement Day Holiday | Feb 03, 2025 | Monday |
| Liberation Movement Day | Feb 04, 2025 | Tuesday |
| Carnival Monday | Mar 03, 2025 | Monday |
| Carnival Tuesday | Mar 04, 2025 | Tuesday |
| International Women’s Day | Mar 08, 2025 | Saturday |
| Southern Africa Liberation Day | Mar 23, 2025 | Sunday |
| Peace Day | Apr 04, 2025 | Friday |
| Good Friday | Apr 18, 2025 | Friday |
| May Day | May 01, 2025 | Thursday |
| May Day Holiday | May 02, 2025 | Friday |
| National Hero Day | Sep 17, 2025 | Wednesday |
| All Souls’ Day | Nov 02, 2025 | Sunday |
| Independence Day Holiday | Nov 10, 2025 | Monday |
| Independence Day | Nov 11, 2025 | Tuesday |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25, 2025 | Thursday |
| Christmas Day Holiday | Dec 26, 2025 | Friday |