Whit Monday in France
Discover how Whit Monday is observed in France.
Public Holiday
Movable Holiday
Monday, 9 June 2025
This holiday has already passed.
Pentecost, or the Descent of the Holy Spirit, is an important Christian holiday celebrated 50 days after Easter.
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History
It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. In Polish folk tradition, it also symbolized the renewal of nature and was associated with spring rituals and agricultural customs.
Traditions
In rural areas, people would decorate homes and barns with green branches. Field processions and blessings were common. The holiday blended Christian beliefs with older, pagan customs.
Contemporary celebrations
Pentecost is a public holiday in Poland. Churches hold special Masses, and in some communities, traditional blessings of the fields are still performed.
Also celebrated in:
Holiday Patterns in France
- This country has 12 public holidays each year.
- 4 holidays are movable (date changes each year).
- 1 holiday(s) fall on Sundays.
- 11 holiday(s) are unique to this country.
- The longest stretch without a holiday is 109 days.
- Most holidays fall in: May.