Church of Saint Devota

Tucked into the little Gaumates valley, the Church of Saint Devota tells Monaco’s loveliest legend. In the early fourth century, a young Christian woman from Corsica, Devota, died a martyr. To keep her body from her persecutors, the faithful placed it in a boat bound for Africa. But a storm rose, and a dove flying from the saint’s mouth guided the boat to this very cove. It was 27 January, and broom flowers bloomed miraculously in the middle of winter. A chapel was built on the spot, rebuilt and enlarged many times; the present church dates mostly from the nineteenth century. Devota became the patron saint of the principality, and every 26 January a boat is symbolically burned in her honour. Another tale says that thieves who stole her relics were caught at sea, and their boat was burned. Look just in front of you: the famous Formula One corner bears her name too.

History

According to tradition, Devota was a young Christian woman born in Corsica in the late 3rd century, put to death during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian, between 303 and 312. The story of her journey here comes from an 11th century manuscript, the Passion of Saint Devota, kept at the National Library of France: the boat carrying her body to Africa was caught in a storm and guided by a dove to the Gaumates valley.

A modest chapel stood here before 1070, near a cave where the saint is said to have been buried. It was restored and enlarged several times, notably in 1476, 1606, 1637 and 1870. In 1536 it passed to Honoré I, Lord of Monaco. The present church was built under Prince Charles III and inaugurated on 25 January 1871. It became a parish church in 1887.

Art and architecture

The building is modest in size but rich in symbols. Inside, three medallions depict scenes from the saint’s life, and a reliquary holding her relics is displayed on the altar dedicated to her. Prince Antoine I gave the church a polychrome marble altar, taken from the Palace chapel and decorated with the Grimaldi arms.

The stained glass windows, by Nicolas Lorin of Chartres, were destroyed by bombing during the Second World War, then restored in 1948 by the Nice workshop Fassi Cadet. In front of the church, the official bronze statue shows the saint holding a dove, standing on a boat of Carrara marble. Commissioned by Prince Rainier III from the sculptor Cyril de La Patellière, it was unveiled on 26 January 1997.

Anecdotes

In April 1956, on her wedding day, after her religious wedding at the cathedral, Princess Grace came to lay her bridal bouquet in this church. In 2011, Princess Charlene repeated the gesture on her wedding day, to thank the saint.

Every 26 January, on the eve of the feast, the princely family sets fire to a replica of Devota’s boat. Another legend, about relic thieves caught at sea, is thought to have been invented in the 17th century by Prince Honoré II’s historiographer, Venasque Ferriol: historians regard it as fiction, but it still feeds the tradition of the burning boat.

What to look for

Start with the bronze statue in front of the church, then go inside to find the three medallions and the reliquary. Look at the stained glass, rebuilt after the war. As you leave, notice the bridge spanning the valley and the bend bearing the saint’s name: it is the first corner of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Practical

The church lies at the bottom of the Gaumates valley, a few minutes’ walk from Port Hercules and the railway station. It is usually open during the day, outside services: please enter quietly and dress respectfully. The late January ceremonies draw large crowds, so arrive early.

Nearby

Continue to Port Hercules or walk back up to the Place d’Armes and the Condamine Market. On the Rock, Monaco Cathedral, where Grace Kelly was married, completes this route. For the programme of the Saint Devota celebrations, see the official website of the Monaco town hall.

Test yourself

Sources

• Wikipédia : Église Sainte-Dévote de Monaco
• Wikipédia : Sainte Dévote
• Wikipedia: Saint Devota

Information checked on 30 September 2026.