Monaco will celebrate one of its oldest traditions next week as the Principality pays tribute to Saint Dévote, patron saint of Monaco and Corsica.
The annual festivities on 26th and 27th January draw thousands each year, combining religious ceremonies, processions with an awe striking public ritual: the burning of a symbolic boat on the harbour.
Monday’s procession and boat burning
The day begins at 10:30am with a traditional mass celebrated in Monegasque at the Saint Dévote church.
Then, the evening kicks off at around 6pm with a procession carrying the saint’s relics from the Grand Prix chicane, winding its way towards the church. Solemn vespers will then follow at 7pm, with Monaco’s highest authorities in attendance. A member of the Municipal Council will formally present the relics to the clergy, commemorating their arrival by the sea centuries ago.
The day’s highlight will then arrive shortly after with the ceremonial boat burning at half past seven on Quai Albert 1er, presided over by the Princely family. This dramatic ritual recalls the legend of thieves who attempted to steal the saint’s relics. Local fishermen had intercepted them and burned their boats. According to tradition, nails recovered from the burnt boat are set to bring good fortune. A drone spectacle will follow the burning, providing yet another awe-striking sequence to the public gathered at the Port.
Getting there and what to expect
Public access open from 5:30pm at two main viewing areas: Place Sainte-Dévote for the procession and vespers, and the northern section of Quai Albert Ier for the boat burning and drone show. Security checkpoints with bag inspections will be in place at both sites, and large screens will broadcast the ceremonies.
Those arriving by train should note than the Saint-Dévote valley and stairs will close at 5.30pm, so the Sainte-Dévote gallery via rue Grimaldi becomes the main access route. Road closures and public transport disruptions are expected between 6.15pm and 7.45pm on Boulevard Albert Ier, avenue JF Kennedy and avenue d’Ostende, so arriving early is advisable.
Tuesday’s Pontifical Mass and concert
Tuesday’s celebrations begin at 10am with Pontifical Mass at Monaco Cathedral, presided over by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The mass is followed by a solemn procession through Monaco-Ville, with stops for blessings of the Palace, the city and the sea.
The day concludes at 6:30pm with a spiritual concert in the cathedral, featuring the Choir of Sartène accompanied by the Choir of the Papal Chapel of Assisi and the Rainier III Academy.
French Catholic broadcaster KTO will transmit Monday’s evening events live from 6:30pm.
A martyr who became Monaco’s patron
Dévote was a young Christian killed in Corsica during the fourth century when Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered the persecution of Christians. Believers placed her remains in a vessel headed for North Africa, but the craft was redirected by a dove and landed instead on Monaco’s coast on 27th January.
The young martyr became Monaco’s official patron saint under Prince Honoré II in the 17th century. Her relics have been invoked by Monegasques through centuries of joys and sorrows, making her what locals call the protective soul of Monegasque identity. The first book ever written in Monegasque by poet Louis Notari was titled “A Legenda de Santa Devota,” testament to her deep roots in local culture.
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Main photo credit: Stéphane Danna
