It is one of the symbols of Notre-Dame de Paris. The famous statue of the “Madonna and Child”, survivor of the fire of April 15, 2019, returns to the cathedral this Friday, November 15, during a torchlight procession through the streets of the capital.
This procession marks the “last big event before the reopening of the cathedral on December 7 and 8”underlines the diocese of Paris. The faithful and Parisians will meet at 6:00 p.m. on the square in front of the Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois church, which has housed the statue for the past five years. The procession will then go to Notre-Dame, taking the quays of the Île de la Cité.
If the copy used on this journey is a replica, it is the real statue which will be blessed at Notre-Dame by the Archbishop of Paris, before a vigil which will combine Magnificat, time of prayer and reading of the Gospel. A “novena” was organized in advance, the replica of the statue having circulated in several parishes, sanctuaries and hospitals in the capital since November 7.
Age-old links with the cathedral
Between this work of art and Notre-Dame de Paris, the links go back centuries. From the start of construction of the cathedral, in the 12th century, an altar dedicated to Mary was attached to the southeast pillar of the monument. But the “Madonna and Child” only entered Notre Dame in 1818, replacing the original statue destroyed during the Revolution. Dating from the 14th century, it comes from the Saint-Aignan chapel, located in the former canons' cloister on the Île de la Cité.
It was not until 1855 that it found its definitive place in the cathedral, on the former high place of prayer from the Middle Ages, leaning against the southeast pillar of the transept. It was on the initiative of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the architect who restored the cathedral, that this move took place. From this historical arrangement comes its name “Virgin of the Pillar”.
It was by this work that the poet Paul Claudel was converted, during Christmas vespers of 1886. He dedicated a poem to it, “The Virgin at Noon”, praising “ the woman in Grace finally restored ».
A symbol of hope
Standing at almost two meters, this stone statue, in the late Gothic style, is a classic representation of the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus. Often associated with piety and protection, it symbolizes Mary's divine motherhood as well as her relationship with Jesus. For many believers, it is also a symbol of comfort, protection and hope, especially since the fire of 2019 from which it emerged intact.
« There was a pile of stones and wood at her feet but she remained standing » says Father Stéphane Paul-Benz on RCF. “ In Christian tradition, the Virgin who remains standing is the “Stabat Mater”, the Virgin standing at the foot of the cross, a sign of hope. “. The diocese of Paris evokes, “a sign of consolation” for the faithful.
