He too will work for Christmas Eve as well as for D-Day. We would almost tend to forget it, it is so obvious. Traditional. On the evening of the 24th, at around 11:30 p.m., Bishop Philippe Ballot will put on his cope to celebrate midnight mass in Saint-Étienne Cathedral for the third time, since his arrival in Metz in September 2022. “The first time, we are amazed. The bishop carries little Jesus to the crèche and we say to ourselves that the child in our arms has created this magnificent cathedral. As if fragility allowed grandiose things,” image Mgr Philippe Ballot who cannot help but draw the parallel with the rebirth of Notre-Dame-de-Paris. Since then, each Christmas mass he celebrates there has this extra soul.
When the subject of this file is mentioned to him, the bishop smiles. “I don’t see it as something restrictive that requires me to still be stuck at work when I would like to be elsewhere”he admits. Because Christmas like Easter are precious and intense moments for all believers. It's the birth of Jesus, “a birth synonymous with a grandiose event, because it is God who comes for us”. In truth, these celebrations begin with the Advent season and Christmas is none other than “ the culmination of the spiritual preparation that took place during all this time of waiting. It's a moment of joy. Always unique. »
Solidarity meal
Unlike other professions, there is no stress of meals to make, people to welcome or security to ensure, just the desire to enjoy a sacred moment. For a long time, Philippe Ballot sat in the church pews alongside his farming family on New Year's Eve. So, he did not think that he would celebrate mass later. As priest, then as bishop. “When you are a bishop, it is even stronger. The scale is increased tenfold and you have a big responsibility”he comments.
This time again, he will read the Gospel to recount the birth of the divine child, on Christmas Eve, before returning to the Cathedral, a first time to perform the Christmas mass and a second at 4 p.m. h, for vespers (solemn prayer). In the meantime, he will have benefited from a solidarity meal organized by Catholic relief for lonely and destitute people. Then he will head to Haute-Saône to celebrate with his loved ones before returning to Metz on December 29 because another mission awaits him. Open the Holy Year, at the same time as Pope Francis.
