the essential
Organized in partnership with the City, the fourth diakonia festival of the Beauty of Lourdes was a rejoicing success.
After addressing the themes “The Essential” (2021), “The Breath” (2022) and “Shadow and Light” (2023), it is “The Creation” that the fourth Beauty Festival focused on. de Lourdes: a little look back at these three crazy days.
“What a marvel!”, enthuses a young woman: “I’ve never seen that!” And his neighbor replied: “It looks like a catechism put into tables!”
Around sixty people were present at the opening of the exhibition by Jakez Goyat, a Breton at heart, an adopted Upper Pyrenean: in all, around thirty paintings with the uniqueness of having jute bags for support.
“My passion? Representing the Passion!” explains this atypical artist, admitting that he could not help but cry when representing the crucifixion.
Another highlight of this festival was marked by a round table bringing together nearly eighty people. Led by Daniel Facérias around the theme of Creation, it allowed Mgr Jacques Perrier (bishop emeritus of Tarbes) to recall that in the beginning, God “created” but that he did not “make”.
For his part, Philippe Pouzet (president of the Louvre astro-club) insisted on the beauty of the universe, before asking the question of how and why: “As for the question of why, it It’s up to religion to take care of it.” Another guest, Indian filmmaker Raghounat Manet recalled that Shaivism was rich in teachings: “Dying is a sacred (re)creation!”
Finally, Christian Loubère (philosophy teacher at the Argelès-Gazost high school) insisted on the fact that it was an error to confuse “Creation” and “Origin”: “We must stop saying that women give us life! They offer us death… And therefore, they open us to resurrection. […] Genesis is a poem written with symbols that our society has chosen to no longer want to understand.”
The afternoon continued with a square open to music and relaxation, with a preview of some popular Italian tunes performed by Francesca and Damiano (cantor at the sanctuary), taken up in chorus by an enthusiastic audience.
This was followed by a truly remarkable performance by the sacred dance troupe “Fleur de Lys”, from Poland and masterfully led by Agathe.
Once the room was well heated, it was the turn of the group “Hopen” to intervene… A family of trendy Catholic “young” musicians, applauded for a long time.
The festival reached its climax on Sunday, at 10 a.m., in front of the Massabielle cave. Presided over by the Bishop of Autun, Mgr Benoît Rivière, the mass was hosted by artists from Diaconie…
Without forgetting the screening of Raghunat Manet’s film: “Return to Pondicherry”, which attracted nearly one hundred and fifty admissions.
