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Saint Jean
Baptiste Day (Fête Nationale)
Information
Overview of
St.
Jean Baptiste Day (Fête
Nationale)
Saint Jean
Baptiste Day, named Fete Nationale de Quebec is celebrated by French
Canadians throughout all of Canada (and is an official holiday in the
Province of Quebec). This holiday celebrates the St. Jean the Baptist
who is the patron saint of French Canadians. The holiday also
celebrates the coming of summer.
History and Origin of
St.
Jean Baptiste Day (Fête
Nationale)
The origins of
the holiday have its roots in early pagan celebrations brought over from
Europe (mostly by Gauls in the area of France and Germany) to celebrate
the summer with food and festivals (the date coincides with the pagan
summer solstice celebrations (summer solstice = the longest period of
daytime during the year). In the middle of the fifth century, King
Clovis (who became king at age 15), became a deeply religious ruler,
tried to Christianize the holiday and infuse the celebration of the
birth of John the Baptist into the celebration. This coincided very
well, since his birthday was June 24th. The celebration
became known as the Feast of Saint John the Baptist. [A more symbolic
connection can also be made between John being the light of the world in
his dissemination of Jesus Christ’s message and the celebration of the
sun.] The early celebrations included the lighting of bonfires in honor
of Saint John [another symbolic link with light], and the king of France
traditionally lighted a bonfire each year. The lighting of bonfires is
still a tradition today.
The traditions of
the holiday made its way across the Atlantic Ocean by settlers in
Canada. The celebration transformed itself into a holiday of cultural
pride for the French Canadians (due to its connection with their French
and not the English). In 1908, Pope Pius X officially proclaimed Saint
Jean Baptiste the Patron Saint of the French Canadians, which only added
to the connection between this holy saint to French Canadians and the
holiday.
The earliest
celebration in Canada occurred in 1635 on the shores of the St. Lawrence
River by French immigrants in the town of New France. It was celebrated
by a few dozen the fur trappers and traders who came there to trade.
They sang songs and lit fires in celebration of St. Jean and the coming
of summer (after a hard Canadian winter). However, due to British rule
during the next two centuries, many large celebrations were kept under
wraps. The next large celebration of the holiday did not occur until
1834, when Ludger Dunvernay, editor for the newspaper La
Minerve called upon French Canadians to come together in unity. He
hosted his own large national “banquet” at the home of attorney John
McDonnell (in Monteal), where some of the most prominent Canadians
attended. It then became a national tradition.
Dunvernay’s efforts also led to the creation of the Association
Saint-Jean-Baptiste, an organization created for the unity of French
Canadians – and helped to make St. Jean Baptiste Day a holiday.
The first
official celebration in Canada was proclaimed in Quebec City in 1842.
It included bands playing patriotic music, a procession of celebrants
and prayer. Followed by the food and the lighting of bonfires in the
evening. The following year, they began hosting a parade.
In 1925, the
legislature of Quebec declared June 24th to be an official
holiday and renamed as la Fete Nationale. [Note: it is a paid
holiday.]
In more recent
years, the holiday has become more secularized and is celebrated as an
“official” holiday in the mostly French-speaking province of Quebec.
The holiday is also called Fête Nationale du Quebec. The celebrations
spread to other cities, such as Montreal, which recorded over 60
thousand tourists in 1874 to help celebrate the holiday in grand style.
The parades in Montreal became larger and larger as the years past by.
[Note: the parades in the 1960’s became a sounding board for political
statements by the French separatists. The parades were suspended from
1971 through 1989.]
Saint
Jean Baptiste Day (Fête
Nationale) Celebrations and Traditions
Bonfires
– Bonfires had their origins in the celebration of the summer solstice.
When the ancient ceremonies were Christianized, the practice of lighting
bonfires remained as part of the new celebratory ritual. In Canada,
along the St. Lawrence, people would light fires along side the river.
There would be thousands of fires going at once as far as the eye could
see.
Music
– Music has always been a way of celebrating any holiday. The early
Canadian celebrations included many patriotic songs to be played by
bands or sung by participants. Each year, this tradition continues,
with many large concerts (by some major entertainers) coinciding with
the holiday.
Folkloric
Dances – Dancing is a way of
celebrating, and people dance on this holiday, with some dance troupes
providing folkloric dances to remind people of the hard lives the early
French settlers had when they first came to this new land.
Fireworks
– Fireworks are many times lit in lieu of bonfires. Large fireworks
shows are held in the evening of this holiday all around Quebec.
St. Lawrence Rive
Swim – In reminiscence of the first celebrations that took place along
the St. Lawrence River in 1634, it has become customary to take the
first swim of the year on the day of this holiday. [Note: many pools
traditionally open up for the season on this date.]
Petis Pains
Benits (Blessed Loaves of Bread)
– This is a custom of making bread for the local priest. The loaves
were either in the form of a star to symbolize the birth of Jesus or a
Heart to symbolize Jesus’s love
Ringing the Bells – Although
not as common in modern days, they are used to bring the people together
(i.e., both for gathering and for unity).
Parades – Parades became an
early celebratory act, beginning with mass processions to church, then
becoming large events unto themselves.
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St. Jean
Baptiste Day (Fête Nationale)
Information, History and Origin
Celebrate Canada (St. Jean Baptiste Day) (PCH.GC.CA): Brief overview of
the holiday.
Fête de la St.-Jean-Baptiste (AbHeritage.ca) : Brief history of the St.
Jean Baptiste Day celebration.
Fete nationale du Quebec (TheFreeDictionary.com) : Origin an Information
on this Canadian Holiday.
Fete nationale du Quebec (Biography.ms) : Information, history and
origin of St. Jean Baptiste Day.
Fete Nationale du Quebec (FeteNationale.qc.ca) : The Official website of
the Fete Nationale/St. Jean Baptiste Day celebration.
La Fete de la St-Jean (GenealogyForum.Rootsweb.com): History and origins
of the holiday and its celebration.
Montreal: St. Jean Baptiste Day (VirtualTourist.com): Information for
tourists who visit Montreal during this holiday.
St. Jean Baptiste Day (About.com):
Information on the St. Jean Baptiste Day celebration and its religious
significance.
St. Jean Baptiste Day (GlobalSeek.net): In depth information on the
history and origins of this holiday.
St-Jean-Baptise Celebrations (TheCanadianEncyclopedia.com): An in-depth
discussion of the holiday, its history and its origin.
St. Jean
Baptiste Day (Fête Nationale)
Ecards
AmericanGreetings.com
BlueMountain.com
St. Jean
Baptiste Day (Fête Nationale)Related
St. Jean Baptiste Day Letter by Prime Minister (2004)
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