January 3 is the feast of Saint Genevieve, Patroness of Paris. She was a virgin consecrated to God from her earliest childhood, and displayed wisdom and courage. She guided kings, fed and taught the poor, worked miracles, cast out demons and courageously withstood the Franks and Atila the Hun. She encouraged the people of Paris to pray and do penance in order to avert the plague. She died in 512 and her tomb was for centuries a sight of pilgrimage and healings for all of France. Louis XV began to build a new church in her honor in 1764 after he was healed through her intercession. During the Revolution the church was converted into a pagan temple called the Pantheon. Most of the Saint's relics were destroyed in 1791.
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I was very excited to see this entry this evening. When my daughter was born we named her Genevieve. Oh such a tiny baby!...with such a big name. My parents hated it. "She will never be able to say it, let alone spell it!" It has served her well and I am sure that the great patron Saint of Paris has looked over her since then. Like St Genevieve she has never disappointed her mother or I and has never told us an untruth on purpose. I thank God for our little Princess. She has been virtuous, pious, generous. In short a perfect child!
Tomorrow she begins her student teaching in Cary NC. She will be teaching French.
Merci, et remerci!
de Brantigny
PS, That is a marvelous ICON.
I am delighted, dear Monsieur. Many blessings to your sweet princess on her feast-day!
thank you, both!
-Genevieve
In July 2004, I went to Paris for a month on a summer study aboard program.
While touring the Pantheon, I saw a series of wall paintings on St. Genevieve's life.
After visiting the Pantheon, I went to St. Etienne du Mont, a beautiful church behind the Pantheon. (My instructor for my Paris history class had pointed it out while we took a walking tour one afternoon) There you will find a side altar dedicated to St. Genevieve and her stone-looking coffin under gold filigree decorated glass. I had the opportunity to pray there. It was a quiet and wonderful experience. There is also photo of the late John Paul II who had prayed there on a visit to France.
St. Etienne is closed on Mondays.
Thanks for posting this--I'd forgotten the date of her feast day!
You are welcome, Genevieve!
Sounds lovely, Elisa! Thank you for the account of your trip!
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