What is Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day?
[[File:Fête nationale du Quebec.jpg|thumb|Saint-Jean-Baptiste parade in [[Montreal]], June 24, 2006]] '''Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day''' ({{lang-fr|Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste, la Saint-Jean, Fête nationale du Québec}}), also known in English as ''St John the Baptist Day'' is an official [[holiday]] in the [[Canada|Canadian]] [[Provinces and territories of Canada|province]] of [[Quebec]]. It takes place annually on [[June 24]]. Although, it is not the official name of this holiday, it is popularly known and called in Quebec, as the ''Fête nationale du Quebec'' (''National Holiday of Quebec''). [[File:Sjb-day-fireworks.jpg|right|thumb|[[Fireworks]] over the [[Parliament Building (Quebec)|Parliament Building]] in [[Quebec City]] on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day]] Originally a religious day, it was brought to Canada by French settlers in the [[1600s]], celebrating the traditional [[feast day]] of the [[Nativity]] of [[Saint John the Baptist]]. It was declared a [[public holiday]] in Quebec in 1925. In 1977, Quebec declared Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day the [[national day]] of Quebec. [[File:Sjb-day-concert.jpg|right|thumb|Free public [[concert]] in [[The Battlefields Park]] (''Parc des Champs-de-Bataille'') in Quebec City on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day]] Other Canadian provinces and territories also have their own official holidays celebrating the foundation of their provinces or territories. Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day differs from them, that it is today celebrated like a national day rather than a religious holiday, because it became highly politicized with the rise of Quebec [[nationalism]] and [[separatism]]. As a result, the religious symbolism of this day is largely forgotten, and acts as a [[:wikt:counter|counter]] holiday for Quebec nationalists and separatists against [[Canada Day]]. {{Canada-stub}} [[Category:Quebec]] [[Category:National days|Quebec]] [[Category:Holidays of Canada]] [[Category:June observances]]