Whit Monday in Monaco
Whit Monday, or the Monday of Pentecost, is a legal public holiday in Monaco. The law lists it among the public holidays, and legal holidays are generally days off with pay for employees.[1][2]
Legal status and time off
Monaco’s Law No. 798 of 18 February 1966 names Whit Monday as one of the country’s legal public holidays. Under Law No. 800, legal holidays are generally compulsory days off with pay for employees, regardless of how they are paid. The law provides an exception for domestic workers: their employers are not required to stop work, although compensation rules apply when they work on a holiday.[1][2]
The substitute-day rule in Law No. 798 applies when certain named holidays fall on a Sunday, including New Year’s Day, the Prince’s holiday, 1 May, Assumption, All Saints’ Day and Christmas. Whit Monday is not among them, so the law does not provide a Monday-in-lieu rule for it.[1]
Religious meaning
Whit Monday follows Pentecost, a Christian feast that recalls the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ disciples. The Vatican describes this event as taking place fifty days after Easter and as the beginning of the Church.[3]
In the Roman Catholic calendar, the Monday after Pentecost is also the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. The memorial is linked to Mary’s presence with the Apostles as they awaited the Holy Spirit.[4]
Planning around the holiday
For employees covered by the general rule, Whit Monday means a paid day off. Visitors should check directly with the service or venue they plan to use rather than assume it will be open or closed.[2]
The holiday moves with Easter because Pentecost is observed fifty days after Easter and Whit Monday falls on the following Monday. Monaco’s holiday law does not list Whit Monday among the holidays that receive a substitute day when they fall on Sunday.[1][3]
Frequently asked questions
Is Whit Monday a public holiday in Monaco?
Yes. Law No. 798 includes Whit Monday among Monaco’s legal public holidays.[1]
Do employees get the day off?
The general rule makes legal holidays compulsory days off with pay for employees. Domestic workers are an exception to the employer’s obligation to stop work, though compensation rules apply if they work.[2]
When does Whit Monday fall?
Are shops, banks and public transport open?
Does Whit Monday receive a substitute day?
Law No. 798 provides a substitute day for certain holidays that fall on Sunday, but Whit Monday is not among the holidays listed for that rule.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Whit Monday in Monaco:
- Loi n° 798 du 18 février 1966 portant fixation des jours fériés légaux- Legimonaco
- Loi n° 800 du 18 février 1966 régissant la rémunération et les conditions de travail relatives aux jours fériés légaux- Legimonaco
- Regina Cæli, 27 May 2007, Pentecost Sunday- The Holy See
- Decree on the celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church in the General Roman Calendar (11 February 2018)- Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, The Holy See