Saint Devota 2024: the celebrations
On the upcoming Friday, January 26, and Saturday, January 27, the celebrations of Saint Devota, the Patron Saint of Monaco, will take place. These celebrations represent one of the oldest traditions in the Principality of Monaco, a tradition that has influenced the national culture in diverse areas such as religion, folklore, popular beliefs, history, literature, arts, painting, music, numismatics, and philately.
This tradition stems from the “legend” known as the Legend of Saint Devota, transmitted through a medieval document, a tradition that holds a privileged place in the hearts of the Monegasque people and has been permanently documented throughout the centuries in the city’s history.
According to this “legend,” Devota (Dévote), a young Christian native of Corsica, was martyred by the prefect Barbarus under the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, around the year 303 or 304. Her body, stolen during the following night by faithful followers, was placed in a boat, brought to Monaco, and buried in a chapel in the valley known as “des Gaumates,” near the port, on January 27 of the same year.
Under Honoré II, in the 17th century, Saint Devota became the patron saint of Monaco.
Since 1874, the tradition has been perpetuated annually: a boat on a pyre is burned in the presence of the Sovereign and the Princely Family, accompanied by Monegasque dignitaries.
On January 27, the day of the Feast, a pontifical mass is celebrated in the Cathedral by a religious figure invited by the Archbishop of Monaco. Attending this ceremony are the Princely Family, the Princely Government, elected assemblies, and constituted bodies, as well as numerous faithful. After the ceremony, a procession featuring the Penitents of the Archconfraternity of Mercy moves toward the Princely Palace with the reliquary escorted by the Prince’s Carabiniers.
The procession halts in Palace Square. A Guard of Honor and the Orchestra of the Prince’s Carabiniers pay homage. A celebrant then blesses the Princely Family with the relics.
The procession then proceeds to the ramparts, where another celebrant blesses Monaco and its population. Finally, upon returning to the cathedral, a final celebrant blesses the sea and the fishermen.
For more information: www.saintedevotemonaco.com
Read also: Grimaldi Forum | All Events of the 2024 Season (montecarloliving.com)
