Today was a great day.
We.slept in a bit- we have been on the go- and opened presents around lunch time. Nothing big, mostly candy, french berets, scarves and a few other touristy things. Jim did get a nice little cheese.
After lunch we walked over to Montmartre to visit Sacre Coeur.
You see, in the 1870s a brief war was fought between France (the second empire, under Napoleon III) and the German Confederation. This ended with the Seige of Paris and a decisive defeat for France. In the aftermath, Germany unified and a new government was formed in France (the Third Republic, which lasted until 1940 (when the Germans came to visit again).
The humiliation of the War of 1870 was a serious burden on the French population. France was very Catholic, and public leaders vowed to build a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart “as reparation” (i.e. as penance for infidelity towards God and sin) for they believed that the misfortunes of France had spiritual rather than political causes. A ‘National Vow’ was created and approved by both the French parliament and the Pope:
In the presence of the misfortunes that have befallen France and the greater misfortunes that perhaps still threaten her.
In the presence of the sacrilegious attacks committed in Rome against the rights of the Church and the Holy See and against the sacred person of the Vicar of Jesus Christ.
We humble ourselves before God and uniting in our love both Church and Fatherland, recognize that we have sinned and been justly punished.
And to make honorable amends for our sins and obtain through the infinite mercy of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ pardon for our faults, as well as the extraordinary help that alone can deliver the Holy Pontiff from his captivity and put an end to the misfortunes of France, we hereby promise to contribute to the construction, in Paris, of a sanctuary dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus..
This Vow is engraved on an interior wall within Sacre Coeur. We also got to observe part of a Christmas mass and visit the top of the dome (292 steps to the top).
After finishing our visit, we went to the Christmas market nearby. The Montmartre neighborhood has a fair amount of charm and it was pleasant to walk around. We eventually found a place to eat before heading back home where we read Luke 2 and sang Christmas carols.
Merry Christmas everyone!
3 Responses
How fun, thanks for sharing
Is there wheelchair access to the top of Sacre Coeur (or to anywhere in Montmartre)?
The image of the square with wet paving stones: is that a photo of a painting or just a photograph? If it’s a Martin photograph of a live scene it is exquisitely composed and exposed.
“The Wine Cellar Gourmand Restaurant”. I imagine that visits from LDS families to this establishment don’t happen every day.
That’s a real photograph.