Overview
- Saxony is the only German state where Buß- und Bettag is a statutory holiday, with this year’s observance on Wednesday, 19 November 2025.
- Because the day was traded nationally in 1995 to help finance long‑term care insurance, employees in Saxony contribute about 0.5 percentage points more, averaging roughly €207 a year.
- Employers benefit from the arrangement through lower employer-side costs compared with other states, according to the reporting.
- Although not a holiday elsewhere, all pupils in Bavaria have an instruction‑free day and evangelical students in Berlin may skip classes without it counting as an absence.
- Communities and churches are offering childcare and programs—from children’s bible days and first‑aid courses to music workshops, sports sessions and excursions—while clergy describe services focused on reflection and hope in difficult times.