Tiradentes Day2026 · Date · History
Brazilian federal law makes 21 April a national holiday; Law 1,266/1950 established the Tiradentes holiday, Law 4,897/1965 added civic-patron and annual-commemoration provisions, and Law 10,607/2002 moved the date into the current Law 662 framework.
About Tiradentes Day
Tiradentes Day is a Brazilian national holiday observed on April 21.
Brazil’s current federal holiday law lists April 21 among the country’s national holidays.
Why Tiradentes Day matters
The date commemorates Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes, whose death is commemorated on April 21 in Brazilian law.
This guide describes the legal and historical commemoration without treating later official honorific language as an instruction to endorse political violence or any particular historical interpretation.
History of Tiradentes Day
Law No. 1,266 of December 8, 1950 declared April 21 a national holiday dedicated to Tiradentes and ideals of independence and individual liberty.
Law No. 4,897 of December 9, 1965 declared Tiradentes the civic patron of the Brazilian nation and required annual programming connected with April 21 commemorations.
Law No. 10,607 of December 19, 2002 amended Law No. 662/1949 so that April 21 appears directly in the general list of national holidays.
The 2002 law revoked Law No. 1,266 while preserving April 21 national-holiday status through the amended Law No. 662 framework.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Brazilian National Congress and President of the Republic
Law No. 1,266 of 8 December 1950
Declared Tiradentes the civic patron of the Brazilian nation and provided for annual programming connected with April 21 commemorations.
Brazilian National Congress and President of the Republic · Law No. 4,897
Inserted April 21 into the general federal list of national holidays and revoked Law No. 1,266 while preserving the holiday under the amended Law No. 662 framework.
Brazilian National Congress and President of the Republic · Law No. 10,607 amending Law No. 662
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
How to Observe Tiradentes Day
Use April 21 for Tiradentes Day in Brazil.
When discussing the history, distinguish Tiradentes’s eighteenth-century life and execution from the much later twentieth-century laws that formalized national commemoration.
Use neutral historical language and attribute ceremonial or honorific characterizations to the laws or institutions that use them.
Check current local opening hours for specific services rather than assuming that every private operation closes identically on a national holiday.
If attending civic events, follow venue, crowd and local safety instructions.
Tiradentes Day Facts
Tiradentes Day falls on April 21.
April 21 is listed in Brazil’s current federal law as a national holiday.
A 1950 federal law expressly made April 21 a national holiday associated with Tiradentes.
A 1965 law declared Tiradentes the civic patron of the nation and provided for annual commemorative programming.
In 2002, Brazil moved April 21 into the general national-holiday list in Law No. 662 and revoked the 1950 law.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Brazil Presidency — current Law No. 662 (opens in a new tab)
National Legislation
Brazil Presidency — Law No. 1,266/1950 (opens in a new tab)
National Legislation
Brazil Presidency — Law No. 10,607/2002 (opens in a new tab)
National Legislation
Brazil Presidency — Law No. 4,897/1965 (opens in a new tab)
National Legislation
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Tiradentes Day?
21 April The documented recurrence rule is: 21 April.
Does Tiradentes Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Tiradentes Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Brazil national holiday. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Tiradentes Day?
The reviewed sources identify Brazilian National Congress and President of the Republic as the proclaiming or establishing body.
Is Tiradentes Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Brazil national holiday. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-24.
When is Tiradentes Day?
It is observed on April 21 in Brazil.
Is Tiradentes Day a national holiday?
Yes. Brazil’s current Law No. 662, as amended, lists April 21 among the national holidays.
When was April 21 made a national holiday for Tiradentes?
Law No. 1,266 of December 8, 1950 expressly declared April 21 a national holiday. The current legal framework now carries the date in Law No. 662 after a 2002 amendment.
What did the 1965 law change?
Law No. 4,897 declared Tiradentes the civic patron of the Brazilian nation and provided for annual commemorative programming.
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