Denmark to Reinstate 'Great Day of Prayer' Public Holiday

Denmark's government has announced it will reinstate the "Great Day of Prayer," a public holiday abolished in 2022, according to a report from Le Monde.

The holiday was scrapped without advance warning by the Social Democratic government of the time and its center-right allies, a move that provoked significant anger among Danes. At the time, officials justified eliminating the day off by citing the need to boost government revenue in order to increase defense spending.

The decision to bring the holiday back marks a reversal of that 2022 policy, though the report did not specify the government's reasoning for restoring it now or whether the associated defense spending increase would be affected by the change.

The Great Day of Prayer is a traditional Danish holiday observed on the fourth Friday after Easter, historically marked by businesses closing and many Danes taking the day for reflection, though its practical significance had diminished over time even before its 2022 removal.

The holiday's abolition had been one of the more contentious domestic policy moves of recent years in Denmark, drawing criticism not only for its substance but also for the manner in which it was introduced, with opponents saying the government gave the public and employers little time to adjust.