Sainte Geneviève is revered here in Paris and with good reason! She single-handedly saved Paris from invasion, destruction, sickness and famine through her courage, her peaceful leadership, her diplomacy, and her faith. For all that she did for the city of Paris to survive, she certainly merits having that title!
I first discovered Sainte Geneviève shortly after I had moved here in attending a Midnight Mass at Saint Etienne du Mont Church where her relics are kept in a large ornate reliquary.
The following January the 3 rd there was a service where masses of the faithful got in line to kiss the smaller relic case, containing her few remains.
I was back again at St Etienne du Mont to attend a Mass and a procession of her relics to Notre Dame that has been traditionally held each year since 1129 in celebration of her feast day but also for having saved paris from famine twice.
Geneviève was born in 423 in Nanterre, which today is a peaceful suburb of Paris on the Seine that winds it way towards the countryside.
Born to a Roman father, who held a municipal council there and a mother who was Christianised, she was said to have been a very pious little girl.
When the Saint Germain d’Auxerre stopped in Nanterre on his way to Brittany , he felt drawn to Geneviève, who awaited him on the banks of the Seine.
She then at the age of 15 pledged herself to God in front of him. After her parents died, she went to Paris to live with her Godmother, where she continued to exercise her father’s municipal rule.
Like a lot of saints, Geneviève was said to have had visions and prophecies. Before long word had spread about her healing and charitable acts and she was often sought out by the townspeople for guidance.
In 451 the city of Paris was threatened to be taken over by Attila the Hun. Geneviève, about 28 years old, was said to have persuaded the men not the flee the city in panic and fear and gathered the women in devout prayer. For whatever reason, Attila gave up his plan of attack and proceeded past Paris towards Orleans.
Word of this peaceful resistance spread far to the admiration of the Merovingian King Childeric who ruled over several Frankish tribes in northern Gaul.
Geneviève was said to have encountered him in a warm diplomatic dialogue, out of respect and reference to her own Frankish heritage.
He too had his eyes on Paris, but not wanting any outright conflict, instead slowly developed a blockage of grains, eventually throwing Paris into a state of famine.
Geneviève intervened in quiet defiance by gathering up several boatmen in 465, who silently slipped downstream pass the embargo to Troyes and filled up their boats with grain.
Upon their triumphant return to Paris, Geneviève was said to have dispersed the grain first to the poorest of residents. With that monumental feat behind her, Childeric, either in amazement or admiration that this pious devoted woman had outwitted him without violence was drawn even more into dialogue, agreeing to her pleadings to release prisoners .
From that time on, there reigned a peaceful coexistence and protection of Paris against the Visigoths.
Childeric’s son, Clovis had by this time married a Christian woman and with Geneviève’s guidance, he finally agreed to be baptised. By uniting all surrounding Frankish tribes, Clovis came to be the first King of France.
His devotion to Geneviève was legend and he directed that an abbey dedicated to her be built on Montagne Sainte Geneviève, which the Tower is still visible, tucked into the now Lycee Henri IV, just behind the Pantheon.
In her later years Genevieve was also instrumental in constructing a church in honor of Saint-Denis, that is now the Basilica Saint Denis that houses the remains of all French royalty.
Geneviève died in 512 at the age of 89. Her remains were buried in the Abbey Sainte Geneviève, that went on to be on of the most powerful and revered in Paris. Numerous miracles were attributed to her, by those who sought her intercession at her tomb.
Though departed physically, her presence remained in the hearts of Parisians. In 1129, there was an epidemic of ergotism, which was caused by eating a fungus infected grain that mainly attacks rye.
Parisians of the day reached out to her intervention by carrying her relics to Notre Dame in a devout procession, much like the one I participated in Sunday. Miraculously the epidemic started to subside and once again, Sainte Geneviève was credited for saving the city that she loved.
When the original abbey started to crumble from age, Louis the XV erected the Pantheon to house her remains, which used to be a church before the French Revolution. During the revolution, her reliquary was burned, though some of her remains were saved and are now housed at St Etienne du Mont.
As I was walking in the procession chanting her novena, following the two reliquaries of first Saint Marcel and then Sainte Geneviève, women carrying baskets of bread, blessed before our departure, distributed pieces of them to passerby in commemoration of Saint Geneviève having done the same.
The procession wound down to the banks of the Seine and after briefly stopping on the bridge where a tall statue of her is erected, we headed towards Ile Saint Louis and then crossed the Seine once more and went through the gardens behind the Cathedral, where the rest of the bread was distributed.
The presiding pastor of Notre Dame met us at the gate to the parvis and we all filed inside for evening vespers. By that time, night had fallen and I am sure the spirit of this beloved saint was glad to have come back to Ile de la Cité where she lived the majority of her life.
Notre Dame was filled to overflowing with standing room only, a beautiful testimony of the deep affection Parisians have for their patron Saint. Through her non violence, peaceful diplomacy, charitable acts and prayer, she is a symbol to us all that one conquers through the heart with goodwill and peace, rather than brute force and violence.
As I headed home, I was again struck in awe at the ever reigning beauty of Notre Dame softly illuminated against the dark sky, now celebrating her 850 years of glory. Sainte Geneviève would have also marveled at her beauty that has withstood the ages.
Cherry I really appreciate learning about France through your interesting blogs.
The world could use more people like Sainte Genevieve.
I have read about a feast day in her Honor On Jan.3 ,and a city in Missouri named after her as well as a winery .
Hugs to you
Thank you Isham for sharing your information about the winery, which I was not aware of, just the small city on the Mississippi.
She was a very powerful and respected woman during her time here and very beloved since the ages. Hugs