Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel; Montreal, Quebec

All across Canada, French Canadians express their cultural pride and rich heritage through colourful parades and lively parties on June 24 marking Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. These festivities combine the ancient rites of the summer solstice - a period of light and hope - with the traditional celebration in honour of the Patron Saint of French Canadians, who was officially proclaimed as such by His Holiness Pope Pius X in 1908.

The St. Jean holiday has been embraced by Quebec nationalists, who In 1977 made it the province's national holiday.

The French Canadian St. Patrick's Day

St. Jean Baptiste Day has been infused with different meanings over the years. Patron saint of French Canadians, it used to be marked by church parishes with a parade involving a local golden-haired boy playing the part of the young saint, sometimes leading a lamb or sheep. In recent years, the religious importance of the holiday has faded.

Origins

Originally a pagan celebration of the summer solstice more than 2,000 years old, this holiday was transformed into a celebration of John the Baptist by Christians who re-interpreted the symbolism of the midsummer sun as St. Jean Baptiste opening the way for the "light" of Jesus Christ.

Ancient celebrations included great bonfires, a tradition that continued into the Middle Ages.