The Solemnity of the Assumption celebrated at Notre-Dame de Paris
On 14 and 15 August, the Catholic Church celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, who, at the end of her earthly life, was raised to the glory of Heaven. For the first time since its reopening, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris was once again able to host several significant celebrations.
On the evening of 14 August, after vespers and Mass, a jubilee procession passed through the cathedral. As part of the Holy Year of the Jubilee, this prayerful march invited participants to walk together in faith, meditating on the history of salvation.
The procession began with the rite of light: the candles of the faithful were lit as a sign of Christ, the light of the world. Guided by the statue of the Virgin and Child, the procession made its way up the Allée de la Promesse and paused for a moment of veneration before the Crown of Thorns, a relic of Christ’s Passion. The faithful then walked along the Allée de la Pentecôte, imploring Mary to welcome the work of the Holy Spirit.
On the forecourt, after the proclamation of the Gospel, Louis XIII’s vow was solemnly read by the rector of the Cathedral: established in 1638, it consecrates France and its inhabitants to the Virgin Mary. The moment continued with a profession of faith marking the jubilee year, before returning in procession to the cathedral. After the sprinkling of holy water in memory of the baptism, the celebration ended with the singing of Compline.
Grand procession of the Virgin of Charles X and Mass presided over by Monsignor Emmanuel Tois
Assumption Day began with several masses, followed by the traditional procession around Charles X’s statue of the Virgin and Child. Created by the goldsmith Odiot, this statue is a central element of the Treasury of Notre-Dame.
Presided over by Bishop Emmanuel Tois, this procession was marked by the recitation of the Rosary, with each luminous mystery introduced by the auxiliary bishop of Paris. This prayer invites us to contemplate Christ through the eyes of Mary in order to know, love and follow him better. 3,400 faithful walked across the Île de la Cité, carried by the songs and fervour, before returning to the cathedral for solemn vespers.
At the foot of the Virgin and Child, Louis XIII’s vow was renewed, praying to Our Lady of Paris for France and its inhabitants. This historic vow provided for Marian processions throughout the country on the occasion of the Assumption, the first of which took place at Notre Dame on 15 August 1638. Since then, the cathedral has remained a place of perpetual remembrance of this solemn act.
The day ended with a solemn Mass for the Assumption, giving thanks to God for the example and intercession of the Virgin Mary.
