Catholic Holidays in France and Secularity

Today is a public holiday in France – the Catholic holiday of Pentecost. This is one of the main Catholic holidays, celebrated 50 days after Easter. According to Catholic tradition, on this day the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles. It is believed that this event marks the beginning of the history of the Catholic Church as a community.
Of the 11 official public holidays in France, 6 have Catholic origins: Easter Monday, Pentecost Monday, Ascension, Assumption of Mary, All Saints’ Day, and Christmas.
At the same time, Article 1 of the French Constitution of 1958 defines France as a secular Republic. This principle is called principe de laïcité — the principle of a secular state. It is based, in particular, on Article 10 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of August 26, 1789, which enshrines freedom of beliefs, including religious ones, and on the law of December 9, 1905, on the separation of church and state.
The principe de laïcité is also based on Article 1 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which enshrines the principle of equality of all citizens before the law, regardless of religion. The state, which is officially obliged to maintain religious neutrality, retains predominantly Catholic holidays in the state calendar.
The reason is that in France these dates are viewed not only as religious holidays but also as part of the historical and cultural heritage of the country. At the same time, the French Labor Code does not provide a general right to take leave for religious reasons for representatives of other faiths. Such absence from work is only possible if it is provided for in the internal regulations of the company or in a collective agreement.