Danish bishops consider moving Great Prayer Day to autumn

Great Prayer Day will return as a public holiday in 2030, and Danish bishops are considering whether to move it from spring to autumn, DR reports.

The government abolished the holiday in 2023, prompting widespread reaction. Several bishops told Kristeligt Dagblad earlier this week that they were open to a change in its timing. Most of the Church of Denmark’s bishops are willing to review the date, although some argue it should remain at the same point in the calendar.

Henrik Stubkjær, bishop of Viborg Diocese, supports moving the holiday to autumn. He told DR that Great Prayer Day has often been used for confirmations, which may have drawn attention away from the holiday’s religious meaning.

People DR spoke to in Holstebro, a town, had differing views. Carpenter Lasse Vang welcomed the idea, saying autumn has relatively few public holidays for people who work outdoors. But he questioned how the holiday could be restored after it was abolished to save public money.

Warehouse worker Camilla Larsen opposed a change, saying people were used to the holiday falling on its traditional date. Ida Møller, a childcare worker, liked the idea of adding a holiday in autumn, while pensioner Johan Johansen also said the timing made sense because many holidays fall in spring.

Stubkjær said moving the holiday could help establish it as a dedicated day for reflection.