Festival of the Supreme Being

The Festival of the Supreme Being was an event initiated during the French Revolution in 1794 by Maximilien Robespierre, aimed at promoting civic virtue and religious-like reverence for a concept of a supreme, moral being. It replaced traditional Catholic celebrations with a secular, national festival emphasizing Enlightenment ideals such as virtue, reason, and unity. The festival involved large gatherings, processions, and patriotic rituals designed to inspire moral regeneration and loyalty to the revolutionary cause, ultimately seeking to foster a sense of patriotic morality without reliance on traditional religious institutions.