NEWS
Czy Święto Trzech Króli zniknie z kalendarza dni wolnych? Petycja w Senacie może zmienić układ świąt w Polsce. Co to oznacza dla gospodarki?
Czy Święto Trzech Króli zniknie z kalendarza dni wolnych? Petycja w Senacie może zmienić układ świąt w Polsce. Co to oznacza dla gospodarki?
“Will the Feast of the Three Kings disappear from the calendar of days off? A petition in the Senate may change the arrangement of holidays in Poland. What does this mean for the economy?”
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Here’s a fresh news-style article in English about the developments around Święto Trzech Króli (Epiphany) and the petition in the Polish Senate — including what’s happening now and what it could mean for workers and the economy:
Will Poland Remove Epiphany from the Public Holiday Calendar? Senate Petition Sparks Debate on Economic Impact
Poland’s holiday calendar could be facing another shake-up after a petition was recently submitted to the Senate proposing the removal of Święto Trzech Króli (the Feast of the Three Kings, also known as Epiphany) as a statutory non-working day. The initiative has stirred public discussion about how holidays affect both social traditions and the economy.
Senat
What’s the Petition About?
The petition, filed by an individual in April 2025, calls on lawmakers to amend the law on statutory days off by eliminating Epiphany (January 6) as a day free from work and instead make Good Friday a public holiday. The petitioner argues that doing so would better reflect the religious diversity of Poland, where not all Christians observe Epiphany in the same way, and would align the holiday schedule more closely with economic interests.
Senat
Proponents claim that Epiphany — traditionally a Christian feast commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus — is not as deeply rooted in contemporary Polish everyday life as other holidays and that having a work-free day on January 6 can disrupt supply chains and business operations, especially with European partners who do not observe the holiday.
Biznes Interia
Senate Proceedings So Far
When the petition reached the Senate’s Committee on Petitions, it attracted procedural scrutiny. Officials noted that removing a holiday with religious origins would likely require formal consultations with the Polish Catholic Church and potentially involve constitutional concerns due to the legal framework governing church-state relations. The committee ultimately voted to discontinue further work on the petition, meaning that — for now — Epiphany remains on the official list of holidays.
Senat
Another petition with a similar goal — also proposing the removal of the Epiphany holiday to improve economic performance — was lodged in June 2025 and sent for parliamentary review later that month.
Senat
Epiphany in Poland’s Holiday Calendar
Epiphany has been a public holiday in Poland since 2011, when lawmakers restored it after decades without the day off. The feast had previously been removed from the holiday calendar in 1960 and was re-established following strong citizen initiatives.
Senat
Currently, Poland’s annual list of statutory holidays also includes traditional Christian dates such as Easter Monday, Boże Ciało, and Christmas Day, alongside national observances like May 1 and November 11. From 2025, Christmas Eve (Wigilia) became a statutory day off as well, reflecting ongoing adjustments in how the calendar accommodates cultural practices.
Kadry
Economic Arguments: Costs vs. Benefits
The economic debate centers on whether extra days off help or hinder productivity. Supporters of maintaining the current holiday lineup argue that days off boost worker morale, support family life, and reflect cultural values, and that removing holidays could diminish quality of life without clear economic gain. Some analysts even suggest that more time off could help address issues like workforce burnout and low birth rates.
Fakt
Opponents, including the petition’s author, counter that a statutory day off on a date like January 6 — when many international partners are working — can disrupt business operations. They claim that fewer interruptions in work schedules could improve GDP performance, reduce costs associated with holidays, and streamline supply chains.
Biznes Interia
What Happens Next?
At present, Święto Trzech Króli remains a legally recognized non-working holiday in Poland, and the recent Senate action means there’s no immediate legislative change on the horizon. However, the debate highlights broader questions about how public holidays should balance tradition, religious diversity, and economic priorities in modern Polish society.
As lawmakers consider future petitions or legislative proposals, both cultural and economic arguments are likely to shape the ongoing conversation about how Poland structures its work-free days.