Celebrations fill the streets of Paris as they honor their queen during the Feast of the Assumption
Notre Dame Cathedral Marks First Assumption Procession Since Reopening
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris celebrated the feast of the Assumption on August 15, 2024, for the first time since its reopening in December 2024. The solemn outdoor procession was led by Auxiliary Bishop Emmanuel Tois of Paris, who also celebrated a solemn Mass inside the cathedral.
The silver statue of the Madonna, carried during the Assumption Day celebrations since 1819, was created by Guillaume-Dominique Morin. The statue, which was made by goldsmith Charles Nicolas Odiot, depicts the Virgin holding an Infant Jesus. The statue was harshly treated during the sacking of the archbishop's palace in 1831 and narrowly escaped being melted down in 1847.
In 1819, the Archbishop of Paris initiated the tradition of holding Notre Dame's silver statue during the cathedral's processions. The statue was restored in 1856 for the baptism of Emperor Napoleon III's son, and jeweler Boucheron created a crown and necklace to adorn the statue in 1929.
Bishop Tois emphasized that processions like the one at Notre Dame are a way to reach a large number of people who may not be able to attend Mass or enter a church. He stated that this year, the feast of the Assumption is particularly joyful for him due to an influx of catechumens in France.
During the procession, Father Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, the rector of the cathedral, presided over the faithful carrying candles. Approximately 3,400 faithful participated in the outdoor procession on the Iฬle de la Citeฬ.
The procession inside the cathedral included a veneration of the crown of thorns and an exit onto the cathedral square. The rector solemnly read the text known as the "vow of Louis XIII" during the procession, which was a legislative text signed by King Louis XIII on Feb. 10, 1638. The "vow of Louis XIII" is the origin of numerous processions in honor of Mary that take place in France during the vigil or on Aug. 15.
Bishop Tois noted that coordinating liturgical life and welcoming visitors to Notre Dame is a major challenge, as the 7 million visitor mark since the reopening was surpassed in early August. He also emphasized that Notre Dame is a place that brings people together, including politicians, despite religious neutrality concerns.
Until 2017, a river procession took place on the Seine River on Aug. 15, but it was replaced by a walking procession in the cathedral district due to the cathedral's post-fire restoration. The bishops of France published a special prayer for France on the occasion of the feast of the Assumption, specifically inviting the faithful to pray for the senators examining a bill on "aid in dying."
For Bishop Tois, the Assumption processions at Notre Dame have always been very popular, and there has been a resurgence of popular piety in France in recent years, with more and more people attending religious events like these.
