Saturday, December 8, 2012

Fête des Lumières

From Writing the Renaissance:
"Protect us from famine, war and plague, Seigneur," cried the Lyonnaise people in 1628. Alas, their pleas came too late--the bubonic plague had already crossed the Rhône River, terrifying the inhabitants and killing half of them.

The desperate people prayed to the Virgin Mary to return good health to the city until miraculously, in 1643, the plague disappeared and the Lyonnaise people never doubted their divine protection. So, how did this episode of divine intervention become the largest modern-day international light festival? (Read entire post.)
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1 comment:

julygirl said...

The Bubonic Plague was a 'wake up call' from God to improve the lack of sanitation of medieval cities.