Easter Monday

Yesterday was a national holiday here. I haven't been able to figure out exactly what it is for. Actually, that is incorrect. It's an easter holiday. The part I've been confused about is why. France is an avowedly secular nation yet, Easter Monday is a national holiday. There doesn't seem to even be a pretend reason or excuse to make it seem less overtly preferential to a particular religion.

Growing up in America I was never exposed to an "Easter Monday." Since I am generally compelled to figure out that which is unknown to me, I quickly realized that the United States is one of the few "Christian" nations that do not observe Easter Monday as a national holiday. I was used to getting out of school on the Friday before Easter. Ostensibly it was always for "teacher's meetings" but the stated reason was nothing more than a veneer covering the real reason: Good Friday (Since I spent my entire childhood in the same school district in Arkansas, I can't really project my experience onto other areas but wouldn't be surprised if this practice is/was common).

Perhaps because I have too much time on my hands I'm allowed to think about these things but, as weird as a secular nation having an easter holiday is, it makes some sense here. First, having the national holiday on Good Friday would be very hard to rationalize. Having the national holiday fall on Easter Monday grants some explanatory leeway. Although the nation is ostensibly Roman Catholic, the rates of atheism and agnosticism are extremely high (polls vary but around 65% of the population claim one or the other) while the statistics for "belief" tend to run around a quarter of the population. But, as most of us probably know from our own experiences, there are two holidays that still bring out the most reluctant churchgoers: Easter and Christmas (I recall dreading these church services because my always punctual father would require us to leave for church an hour or two early to ensure we had a good seat...well, pew I guess). The same pattern holds true here as Easter continues to be a very important commercial and religious holiday weekend. Since Easter always falls on a Sunday, having a national holiday on Monday allows for families to get together across the nation and return home without the stress of the following work day hanging over them.

As per usual, it seems that I'm perpetually confused by this nation. Everything I encounter appears a bit odd or confusing on the surface. Invariably, on deeper inspection, these surface opinions tend to turn out to be quite logical. Unfortunately, in the ever changing face of France, logical rule is desperately needed. As the demographics and opinion of the nation continue to evolve, as politicians across the spectrum become more vocal about their own faith, can secularism in it's current state be the answer?