Sainte-Dévote Celebrations in Monaco

Every January, Monaco celebrates Sainte Dévote, the patron saint of the Principality, over two days of religious ceremony, candlelit music and a symbolic boat burning at Port Hercule. It is one of the most traditional events on the Monaco calendar, and in recent years most of the outdoor ceremonies have been open to the public.

When is Sainte-Dévote?

The celebrations are traditionally held on 26 and 27 January, and 27 January is a public holiday in Monaco. That was the pattern in both 2025 and 2026. The official site (saintedevotemonaco.com) had not published a programme for the coming edition at the time of writing, so treat the exact timings below as a guide based on recent years and confirm them closer to the date.

What to expect

The programme described here comes from the 2025 and 2026 editions. On 26 January, the day opened with a traditional Mass in the Monegasque language at the Église Sainte-Dévote. In the early evening a procession carried the saint’s relics from the Grand Prix chicane (the Sainte-Dévote corner) through the streets to the chapel, followed in 2025 by a benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament.

The centrepiece came at dusk at Port Hercule, where a symbolic boat was burned in the presence of the Princely Family. The legend behind it dates to the 4th century, when Devota, a young Christian from Corsica, was martyred under Roman rule, and the boat-burning tradition dates to 1874. In both 2025 and 2026 the evening ended with an eight-minute drone show over the harbour. Whether the coming edition will close with a drone show again has not been confirmed.

On 27 January, a pontifical Mass was celebrated at Monaco Cathedral. In 2025 a procession through Monaco-Ville paused to bless the Prince’s Palace, with a blessing of the sea and fishermen, and in 2026 the relics were carried through Monaco-Ville that evening, blessing the Prince’s Palace, the city and the sea. A candlelit concert at 6:30pm rounded off the day: in 2025 it featured the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo performing Mozart, and in 2026 the Sartène Choir and the Choir of the Papal Chapel of Assisi with musicians from the Rainier III Academy.

Getting there

From Nice, the TER regional train reaches Monaco-Monte-Carlo in about 20 to 25 minutes. In 2025 the boat burning took place at Quai Albert Ier, and public access was via Place Sainte-Dévote and Quai Albert Ier. The cathedral and the Prince’s Palace are in Monaco-Ville.

Practical tips

Arrive early for the evening. In 2025, public access to Place Sainte-Dévote and Quai Albert Ier opened at 5:30pm, with live screens for those further back.

Check the last train. The boat burning and drone show take place in the evening, so confirm the last service back to Nice before you go.

Dress warmly. It is January and you will be standing outdoors by the water at night.

Respect the religious character. The Masses, processions and concert are services and ceremonies first, so keep a respectful distance and check which ones are open to visitors.