Dechristianization

Dechristianization was a campaign initiated during the French Revolution, predominantly from 1793 to 1794. This movement aimed to reduce the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in public life and to promote secular values. It was driven by radical revolutionaries who perceived the Church as a counter-revolutionary force and an ally of the monarchy.

During the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), the most intense phase of dechristianization occurred. The National Convention (the revolutionary government) implemented various decrees to undermine the Church. Churches were closed, religious images and symbols were destroyed, and the property of the Church was confiscated. The Cult of Reason, a belief system that exalted logic and philosophy, was introduced as a state-sponsored replacement for Christianity. This was followed by the establishment of the Cult of the Supreme Being, a deistic state religion inaugurated by Maximilien Robespierre in 1794. These cults were part of the effort to create a rational and civic religion centered on Enlightenment ideals.

The French Republican Calendar was also adopted to further distance French society from the Christian tradition. The calendar started from Year I (beginning 22 September 1792, the proclamation of the First Republic), divided the year into 12 months of 30 days each, and abolished Sundays and religious holidays. Additionally, many streets and places with names of saints were renamed to reflect revolutionary values.

Priests faced persecution, particularly those who refused to take the Civil Constitution of the Clergy oath (which required clergy to swear allegiance to the state rather than the pope). Non-juring or refractory priests were often imprisoned, deported, or executed. Some were forced to marry to demonstrate their rejection of clerical celibacy.

Public spectacles, such as the Festival of Reason held in the desecrated Notre Dame Cathedral on 10 November 1793, were organized to celebrate human intellect and revolutionary ideology. The ceremony featured a personification of Liberty and Reason, symbolizing the triumph of rational thought over religious superstition.

Resistance to dechristianization varied across France. In some regions, particularly the Vendée and Brittany, strong Catholic resistance led to violent uprisings and civil war. In other areas, however, the campaign was met with less opposition.

Dechristianization left a long-lasting impact on French society and the Catholic Church. Although the policy was somewhat relaxed after the fall of Robespierre in July 1794, the relationship between the French state and the Church remained strained. The Concordat of 1801, negotiated by Napoleon Bonaparte, would later restore some of the Church's civil status while maintaining the principle of state control over religious affairs.

• The campaign of dechristianization, initiated by the Revolutionary government around 1793, aimed to reduce the power of the Catholic Church in France, leading to widespread persecution and the closure of thousands of churches.
• One of the most radical aspects of dechristianization was the introduction of a new calendar (the French Revolutionary Calendar), which eliminated all religious feasts and replaced the week with a 10-day decadi, disrupting traditional religious observance.
• The term 'Cult of Reason' was coined during the dechristianization phase, as revolutionaries sought to replace Christianity with a new form of worship centered around reason and science; this movement saw public festivals celebrating atheism.
• In 1794, the National Convention adopted the Festival of Reason, a massive celebration held in Paris in the former Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was transformed into a Temple of Reason (symbolizing the shift away from Christian values).
• Notably, même priests were forced to take an oath of allegiance to the Revolution; refusal often led to imprisonment or execution, showcasing the regime's fierce approach to enforcing its ideals.