Origins, meaning, traditions… Why is Easter Monday a public holiday in France ?

Ce lundi 1er avril, c'est le lundi de Pâques. ILLUSTRATION MAXPPP – Richard Villalon

Continuing the Easter weekend, this Monday, April 1, Easter Monday and public holidays. Not that the French ever complain about a long weekend, why this day is one of the 11 public holidays spread over the year? Midi Libre explains to you.

The most important celebration in Christianity, Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the third day after his crucifixion. Its date varies each year, since it is calculated as Geo according to the lunar calendar, and can fall between March 22 and March 25 ;nbsp;April.

A day dedicated to rest and reflection

Easter Monday is also an integral part of the festivities. Historically, this day was dedicated to rest and reflection after the end of Holy Week, an intense period of fasting and prayer.

So why is this day still a public holiday in France? The tradition of Easter Monday has its deep roots in the Middle Ages, in a Christian practice established by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. At this time, Constantine had established 8 days of rest, known as the Octave of Easter, during which each day, including Monday, was marked with celebrations and masses in honor of Easter.

Preserved by Napoleon Bonaparte

This tradition was then modified at the beginning of the 19th century, with the signing of the Concordat in 1801. The Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, then First Consul of the Republic French, began a reorganization of public holidays in line with the practices of the Catholic Church in France. This reform aimed to rationalize the calendar of non-working days, which at the time had up to 50 public holidays.

Among the major changes, Napoleon decided to reduce this week of rest to a single public holiday, Monday, while preserving other important dates such as the Assumption, the ;Ascension, Christmas and All Saints' Day.