|
Event
Information:
The
Festival of Lights (French: Fête des
lumières) in Lyon, France expresses
gratitude toward Mary, mother of
Jesus on December 8 of each year.
This uniquely Lyonnaise tradition
dictates that every house place
candles along the outsides of all
the windows to produce a spectacular
effect throughout the streets. The
festival, which includes other
activities based on light, usually
lasts 4 days, with the peak of
activity occurring on the 8th. The
two main focal points of activity
are typically the Basilica of
Fourvière which is lit up in
different colours, and the Place des
Terreaux, which hosts a different
light show each year.
The
origins of the festival date to 1643
when Lyon was struck by plague. The
municipal councillors (échevins)
promised to pay tribute to Mary if
the town was spared. Ever since, a
solemn procession makes its way to
the Basilica of Fourvière on this
day to light candles and give
offerings in the name of Mary. The
event thus commemorates the day Lyon
was consecrated to the Virgin Mary.
Thus,
tradition now dictates that every
family in Lyon keep, along with its
Christmas decorations, a collection
of stained or clear glass in which
candles are burnt on windowsills on
the 8th of December. These stout,
cinnamon-coated candles can be found
in shops towards the end of
November.
Nowadays, the city's council puts on
professionally-run performances. The
people of Lyon's participation
remains strong as evidenced by
numerous façades lit up in the
traditional way and by the throngs
of people wandering the streets on
December 8.
Historians and sociologists note the
rather misinformed notions that the
people of Lyon have concerning the
celebration's origins: confusion
over the thanks given to Mary, as
well as the dates involved, leads
people to think the celebration
commemorates the establishment of
the Basilica of Notre-Dame de
Fourvière or a wish granted after a
plague supposedly struck in the 19th
century.
Local
Weather:
|
