Holidays and observances
Holidays and observances on January 2
16 holidays and special days are celebrated on January 2 around the world.
- 16observances
- 38events
Holidays and observances
- Ancestry Day (Haiti) The following are public holidays in Haiti. Many Vodou holidays are also celebrated, but are not considered public holidays.
Berchtold's Day (Switzerland)Berchtoldstag is an Alemannic holiday, known in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is near New Year's Day, during the Rauhnächte, in Switzerland nearly always on 2 January, with the status of a public holiday in a number of cantons. Its observation is attested
Christian feast day:
Basil the Great (Catholic Church and Church of England)Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great, was an early Christian prelate. He served as Bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia from 370 until his death in 379. He was an influential theologian who supported the Nicene Creed and opposed heresies wit
Christian feast day:
Gregory of Nazianzus (Catholic Church)Gregory of Nazianzus, also known as Saint Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen, was an early Roman Christian theologian and prelate who served as Archbishop of Constantinople from 380 to 381. He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical sty
Christian feast day:
John the GoodJohn the Good, also known as John Camillus, was Archbishop of Milan from c. 641 to 669. He is honoured as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church.
Christian feast day:
Macarius of AlexandriaMacarius of Alexandria was a monk in the Nitrian Desert. He was a slightly younger contemporary of Macarius of Egypt, and is thus also known as Macarius the Younger.
Christian feast day:
Blessed Marie Anne BlondinMarie Anne Blondin, SSA was a Canadian Catholic teacher who founded the Sisters of Saint Anne in 1850 and dedicated herself to educating the rural population of the Province of Canada. She was beatified in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.
Christian feast day:
Seraphim of Sarov (Eastern Orthodox Church)Seraphim of Sarov, born Prókhor Isídorovich Moshnín (Mashnín) [Про́хор Иси́дорович Мошни́н (Машни́н)], is one of the most renowned Russian saints and is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion. He is generally considered the greatesChristian feast day: Theodore of MarseilleTheodore was the bishop of Marseille from at least 566 until 591/594. In the 580s, Theodore was at the centre of a dispute over the city of Marseille between King Guntram and his nephew, King Childebert II. He was arrested several times. His troubles are recor
Christian feast day:
Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah (Episcopal Church)Bishop Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah was an Indian evangelist and the first Indian bishop in the churches of the Anglican Communion, serving as the first bishop of the diocese of Dornakal. A pioneer of Christian ecumenism in India, Azariah had a complex relations
Christian feast day:
January 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)January 2 in Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendars is a feast day and a day of commemoration of saints and martyrs. Although some Orthodox churches use the Revised Julian Calendar and others use the traditional Julian calendar, the fixed commemorations for the
The Day after New Year's Day (New Zealand)Public holidays in New Zealand consist of a variety of cultural, national, and religious holidays that are legislated in New Zealand. Workers can get a maximum of 12 public holidays and a minimum of 20 annual leave days a year.
Kaapse Klopse (Cape Town, South Africa)The Kaapse Klopse, officially named the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, is a traditionally Cape Coloured minstrel festival that takes place annually on 2 January in Cape Town, South Africa.
The first day of Blacks and Whites' Carnival, celebrated until January 7 (Colombia)Blacks and Whites' Carnival is a Carnival, including a parade, in southern Colombia established in 1546. Although originating in the city of Pasto, it has been adopted by other municipalities in Nariño and southwestern Colombia. It is celebrated every year fro
The ninth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)The Twelve Days of Christmas, or Twelve Days of Christmastide, is the festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus. In Western Christianity it begins with Christmas Day and includes Saint Stephen's Day, the Feast of Saint John the Apostle, Childe- Bank holiday (Scotland)Bank holidays in Scotland are determined under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 and the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. Unlike the rest of the United Kingdom, most bank holidays are not recognised as statutory public holidays in Sc
Frequently asked questions
What is celebrated on January 2?
16 observances are celebrated on January 2 around the world: Ancestry Day (Haiti), Berchtold's Day (Switzerland), Christian feast day: Basil the Great (Catholic Church and Church of England), Christian feast day: Gregory of Nazianzus (Catholic Church), Christian feast day: John the Good, Christian feast day: Macarius of Alexandria. The list gathers national holidays, international days and religious or civil observances falling on this date in different countries, as recorded on Wikipedia. Some are fixed and recur on the same day every year; others depend on the local calendar. Each links to the article explaining its origin and meaning.
What happened on January 2?
38 documented historical events happened on January 2, from antiquity to the present day. The best known is this: Mercurius, a Roman priest, was elected Pope John II; he was likely the first pope to adopt a new name upon elevation to the papacy. On the same day, in another year: Trunajaya rebellion: Amangkurat II of Mataram of Java and his courtiers stabbed Trunajaya to death a week after the rebel leader surrendered to VOC forces. On Almanaccolo every event is listed in chronological order, grouped by century, and links to the Wikipedia article it comes from, so you can always read further or check the source. Alongside the events you find who was born and who died on this date, and which observances are celebrated around the world.
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