French HolidaysPentecost Monday (lundi de Pentecôte)

Pentecost Monday or Whit Monday - lundi de Pentecôte in French, is a bank holiday in France. It is the Monday after Pentecost, a Sunday holiday. The word Pentecost comes from Greek for 50 – pentekostos. Pentecost is 50 days after Easter.

Pentecost, a feast in ancient Israel is thought of as the birth of the Catholic Church. According to the Acts of the Apostles it is the day that the Holy Spirit descended on the Twelve apostles and other followers of Jesus.

From 2005 to 2007 Pentecost Monday was a journée de solidarité, a worked holiday in France. With employers paying the French state what would otherwise go to employees. The money then used to fund projects for the elderly. This was in response to the 2003 heatwave that killed 15,000 people in France, mostly elderly.

From 2008 Pentecost Monday went back to a bank holiday, with a journée de solidarité being set by businesses Ad hoc or employees losing a day off.

Pentecost Monday (Whit Monday):
2012: May 28th
2013: May 20th
2014: June 9th
2015: May 25th

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