Cap-Haïtien honors Battle of Vertières with music, prayer and calls for justice

CAP-HAITIEN — Residents of Cap-Haïtien marked the 222nd anniversary of the Bataille de Vertières on Nov. 18 with a mix of celebration, reflection and calls for justice. High schoolers danced through the streets in a carnival-like atmosphere as fanfare bands filled downtown with music, while a priest used the occasion to demand justice for slain public figures—including former President Jovenel Moïse

The day began around 8 a.m. at the Vertières monument, where Deputy Mayor Patrick Almonor placed a wreath in honor of the historic battle that helped secure Haiti’s independence.

By 9 a.m., officials, students and residents gathered inside the Cap-Haïtien Cathedral for a commemorative mass. During the service, the priest urged authorities to deliver justice for victims such as Father André Sylvestre, killed in 2021, and President Moïse, whose assassination remains unsolved.

Once mass ended, the celebration returned to the streets. Fanfare bands marched through downtown with upbeat music while students danced behind them, turning the morning into a lively parade.

Relive the highlights of Vertières Day in Cap-Haïtien through photos and videos below.

A girl plays her trombone, her face glistening with sweat, as she participates in the commemoration of the 222nd anniversary of the Bataille de Vertières in Cap-Haïtien on November 18, 2025. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times. The monument commemorating the Bataille de Vertières in Cap-Haïtien was decorated with flowers on November 18, 2025, to mark the 222nd anniversary of the battle. (Photo by Onz Chéry/The Haitian Times The Cap-Haïtien Cathedral was full for the mass commemorating the Bataille de Vertières on November 18, 2025. (Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times) Mayor Angie Bell (left) and Deputy Mayor Patrick Almonor (right) attended the Bataille de Vertières mass on November 18, 2025. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times. High school students gathered at the Cap-Haïtien Cathedral for a mass commemorating the Bataille de Vertières on November 18, 2025. Photo credit: Onz Chéry/The Haitian Times. Attorney Plaugus Carcéus announced that he will run for the Cap-Haïtien Deputy post in the upcoming elections. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times A fanfare band’s maestro holds two fingers up during a street performance held for the 222nd anniversary of Bataille de Vertières on November 18, 2025 in Cap-Haïtien. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times Close look at some of the statues of the Bataille de Vertières monument in Cap-Haïtien on November 18, 2025. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times Students of Toussaint Louverture High School during the Bataille de Vertières mass at the Cap-Haïtien Cathedral on November 18, 2025. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times A trumpet player performing for the 222nd year anniversary celebration of Bataille de Vertieres at the monument in Cap-Haïtien on November 18, 2025. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times Residents watching the celebration of the 222nd anniversary of the Bataille de Vertieres from across the street of the monument on November 18, 2025 in Cap-Haïtien. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times Members of the Haitian National Police’s choir singing during the Bataille de Vertières mass at the Cap-Haïtien Cathedral on November 18, 2025. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times

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