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Primary sourceSpeech7 May 1794 (18 Floréal Year II)

Report on Religious and Moral Ideas and National Festivals (18 Floréal)

Maximilien Robespierre · 7 May 1794 (18 Floréal Year II)

Robespierre's speech to the Convention establishing the Cult of the Supreme Being and linking religion and morality to republican principles.

Robespierre delivered this speech himself, revealing his civic-religious vision for the republic through the Cult of the Supreme Being.

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What it is

This speech, delivered by Maximilien Robespierre to the National Convention on 18 Floréal Year II (7 May 1794), concerns the relationship between religious and moral ideas, republican principles, and national festivals. It led to the establishment of the Cult of the Supreme Being.

Why it matters

In this speech Robespierre argued that a republic needed shared moral and religious ideas to secure its stability and happiness, drawing on Enlightenment ideas about human nature and liberty. It reveals his belief that the revolution needed a civic faith to replace traditional religion, and shows how deeply he linked politics with morality and virtue in his vision for France.

Look closer

  • Why might a political leader feel the need to create a new public religion?
  • What does Robespierre's language about nature, liberty and slavery tell us about his worldview?
  • What problems might arise from a government deciding what people should believe?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Maximilien Robespierre on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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