Easter, for the luckiest children, is the promise of a good harvest of chocolate eggs. But above all, it is above all, originally, a great celebration for Christians. Easter is the holiday seen by many as the most important in Christianity. It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion in Jerusalem. The date of Easter may change. But it always falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox, details Sortir à Paris. But this does not explain why the Monday following Easter is a holiday.
The "Easter Octave" as origin
To get the answer, we must go back to the Middle Ages, when we find traces of an ancient Christian tradition. Emperor Constantine (272-337 AD) imposed eight consecutive public holidays on Rome, a period known as the "Easter Octave." Monday, like other days, was a holiday. Masses were held every day to celebrate the Easter feast. During this period, pilgrims could also take the opportunity to go to Rome. This Easter octave, however, ended under Napoleon Bonaparte.
From 1801 and the signing of the Concordat with the Pope, the then First Consul undertook to reorganize the practices of the Catholic Church of France. It has in passing removed public holidays, which were 50 at the time, says Eurekoi. Napoleon thus chose to keep the Assumption, the Ascension, Christmas and All Saints' Day. Instead, it has abolished the public holiday following Easter to keep only one day exempt from work: Monday. This is the case in almost all of Europe, except in Portugal, notes L'Internaute. In 2023, Easter Monday falls on April 10.
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