June 24, 1834 - St. Jean Baptiste Day

Human Rights a Day

Quebec’s Saint Jean Baptiste Day gets its origins. The pagan celebrations of the summer solstice turned into a religious celebration during the reign of King Clovis of France in the 5th century. He decided to mark the birth of John the Baptist, the man who baptized Jesus Christ, on June 24. Given the date’s proximity to the summer solstice, it’s celebrated with bonfires symbolizing lighting up the world. European Catholics, especially in France, celebrate it with vigor, as do Quebecers, who call it the Fête Nationale (National Holiday). In Canada the holiday began on June 24, 1834 when 60 prominent Francophones and Anglophones gathered for a banquet. Two days later Ludger Duvenay, founder of the newspaper La Minerve, wrote in his paper that this day must be celebrated annually. Although it was not always celebrated, Duvenay established the Association Saint-Jean Baptiste in 1843 and became its first president. On June 24, 1880, at an association gathering in Quebec City, those present were the first to hear Calixa Lavallée’s song “Ö Canada,” based on a poem by Quebec judge Adolphe-Basile Routhier. It was translated into English for a royal tour in 1901 and became the official national anthem in 1980. Over the years the Quebec holiday has grown into the premier day for the celebration of Quebec’s language, culture and identity. Yet to others it is still a day of religious celebration.