Holiday

Corpus Christi: when it is in 2026 and 2027

Sixty days after Easter Sunday, Corpus Christi Thursday arrives. The date is not a national holiday: the day off depends on an order in the federal civil service and, in cities, on a municipal law (Law 9.093/1995, art. 2).

When is Corpus Christi

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2026

4JunCorpus ChristiThursday · Friday bridge dayFederal optional day off

2027

27MayCorpus ChristiThursday · Friday bridge dayMovable date

In 2026, Corpus Christi falls on Thursday, June 4. MGI Order No. 11,460, of December 29, 2025, set that day and the following Friday as federal optional days off, which extends the break for those who follow that calendar through Sunday. In 2027, by contrast, the feast falls on Thursday, May 27. With no order confirmed by RaisLife, no federal optional day off is on record; anyone who can take Friday off will get four days in a row, from Thursday through Sunday.

Why the date exists

According to Vatican News, Pope Urban IV issued the bull Transiturus de hoc mundo in 1264, which established the solemnity of Corpus Christi for the whole Church and extols the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The feast is celebrated on the Thursday after the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, 60 days after Easter, and is marked by the Eucharistic procession, in which the Blessed Sacrament is carried through the streets.

What the law says

Corpus Christi is not on the list of national holidays in Law 662/1949. At federal agencies, the Ministry of Management's annual order decides whether the day is an optional day off, and in 2026 MGI Order 11.460/2025 set it as one. In cities that observe it, it is a religious holiday declared by municipal law, within the limit of four set by Law 9.093/1995 (art. 2).

It is not a holiday for everyone. Where a municipal law exists, it counts as a holiday; in the private sector, without a local law, what counts is the collective bargaining agreement and the employer's decision; in the federal civil service, the year's order applies.

What about people who work on the holiday?

Law 605, of 1949, prohibits work on civil and religious holidays, except where the company’s technical requirements make the work necessary, and guarantees the employee pay for the day (art. 8). When work cannot be suspended, article 9 requires the day to be paid double, unless the employer grants another day off. In retail in general, Law 10,101, of 2000 (art. 6-A), allows work on holidays as long as a collective bargaining agreement authorizes it and municipal legislation is observed. The specific rule depends on the worker’s category, and the collective agreement is the first place to check.

Keep in mind, too, that a long weekend and a bridge day assume a Monday-to-Friday workweek. People who work shifts, such as in retail and health care, may not get this time off, and the federal optional day off does not apply to the private sector.

Other holidays

What about holidays in my state and my city?

This page lists only the holidays national. State and municipal holidays vary by location: Law 9.093/1995 lets each state set its principal date, and lets each municipality declare the start and end days of its founding centennial year and up to four religious holidays, including Good Friday. To find out yours, check with your city hall or state government.

Sources

Dates calculated by RaisLife (Easter using the Meeus/Jones/Butcher algorithm) and checked against BrasilAPI for the years generated (2024 to 2030); the classification of each date follows federal law and the ordinances of the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services. For information only: it does not replace consulting the law, your professional category’s collective bargaining agreement, or your state and city calendar.