National Day of Prayer
🇿🇲 Zambia
- Public Holiday
- Countrywide
- Fixed date
Overview
Zambia's National Day of Prayer, Repentance and Reconciliation is a public holiday on which the country sets aside time for collective prayer. It reflects the prominent place of Christian faith in Zambian public life. The holiday falls on 18 October and moves to the following Monday when that date is a Sunday.
What It Is
On the National Day of Prayer, offices, schools and most businesses close across Zambia. Churches and faith groups hold services and gatherings, and national and religious leaders call on citizens to pray for the country, its leaders and its unity. When 18 October falls on a Sunday, as it does in 2026, the public holiday is observed on Monday, 19 October.
Why It Matters
Zambia's leaders declared the country a Christian nation in December 1991, soon after the return of multiparty politics, and that identity has stayed part of national life. The prayer day, introduced as a public holiday in 2015, built on this by giving the whole country a set date to pray, repent and seek reconciliation. Its title places the emphasis on healing divisions and renewing the nation's shared purpose rather than on any single event.
Countries Celebrating
1 country
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