This year, this Christian religious celebration has a particular flavor. Initially, it is meant to honor the Virgin Mary’s entrance into the glory of God. To do this, the procession started at the Church of Notre-Dame du Port in Nice and went to the Lympia port. However, during the mass, there was a slight aftertaste of… modernity.
The route remains unchanged from last year. However, one might wonder if the Virgin Mary had time to descend back to earth. Indeed, the ceremony was delayed by 15 minutes.
A moment of gathering
From the start of the procession, you could see altar servers leading, followed by the faithful and local elected officials from all political backgrounds. The statue of the Virgin Mary closed the procession. When Christian Estrosi and his first deputy Anthony Borré arrived at the port, they boarded a small boat accompanied by the Virgin Mary.
Usual security measures
On the one hand, one had to pass through a checkpoint in front of the church. To fulfill this task, the municipal police, along with a private security firm, maintained order.
A rather classic mass
The only difference was that people had to observe social distancing. Two pianos, one electric and the other a grand piano, accompanied the priests and the young pregnant chorister dressed in a pink dress. Throughout the recital, you could get a drink, and few people refrained from doing so. During prayers, some did not hesitate to kneel to try to receive God’s grace.
And a more… political speech
The Mayor of Nice wanted to remind people of his Judeo-Christian roots and the importance of these traditions. “There is the fact that there is a law in our country that states there is a separation of Church and State. We are the heirs of the Piedmont kingdom and the Duchy of Savoy. There are still some public figures who have the courage to speak at an altar alongside clergy representatives, and this is something I claim.” He also paid tribute to the victims of the disaster in Beirut, Lebanon.
