All Saints' Day is a national holiday observed in Monaco on November 1 every year. Also known as La Toussaint, this religious festival is devoted to honoring all the saints within the Christian world, both known and unknown. It's a time for the people of Monaco, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, to reflect, pay respect, and remember all the saints who have walked this earth.
On All Saints' Day, churches across Monaco will hold special services where people gather to pray and honor the saints. Families also traditionally visit cemeteries to clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones with flowers, particularly chrysanthemums, which are associated with death and the afterlife in Mediterranean countries. Many people also light candles in memory of their dearly departed.
It is a solemn and introspective holiday, but it is also a day of familial gathering and communal reflection, reinforcing ties with family members and with the past. It's not just a time of sadness, but also rejuvenation and renewal. Moreover, businesses and schools are closed on this day, allowing everyone to participate fully. Although All Saints' Day is a religious holiday, it has a deep cultural significance in Monaco that's respected by the entire population.