The bells of the Catholic churches of France rang on Wednesday evening for ten minutes and candles were lit at the windows by the faithful, as a sign of "communion of thought" with the nursing staff and the sick.
In a message addressed "to all Catholics and our fellow citizens", the president of the Conference of Bishops of France, Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, had wished earlier that the bells would ring "as they rang at the great hours of our history, Liberation for example ”.
From Bastia (Haute-Corse) to Bordeaux (Gironde) via Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) or Chambéry (Savoie), the tinkles resounded throughout the country.
The Bastian churches (St Jean and ND de Lourdes) ring their bells as a sign of solidarity! pic.twitter.com/XsV9L9VSyw
- France Bleu RCFM (@FranceBleuRCFM) March 25, 2020The bells resounded this evening at 7:30 p.m. in Chambéry as a sign of solidarity to carers and patients with coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/pdutQ1t2JY
- France Bleu Pays de Savoie (@bleusavoie) March 25, 2020"Today is the Annunciation and the churches are closed," explains Cécile, a believer. For Catholics, March 25 is the day of the announcement made to Mary of her maternity, 9 months before Christmas.
Of Catholic faith, she lit a candle on her balcony in the east of Paris, to show "our solidarity, our support and our thanks to all those who are risking their lives so that the world gets away ", She testifies. "The light shows the way in this dark period that we live in," she adds.
In Marseilles, as everywhere in France, the bells of all the churches ring this evening at 7:30 p.m. for ANNUNCIATION. What if it was also the announcement of another way of living together? pic.twitter.com/G98Sm6V9DP
- Jean-Michel di FALCO LEANDRI (@ proteus2013) March 25, 2020#coronavirus #Bordeaux Church bells in 🇫🇷 ring to support caregivers 🙏 pic.twitter.com/jdVZ1YOZIN
- Frédéric Thin (@FredThin) March 25, 2020The Conference of Bishops also called on everyone, believing or not, Catholic or not, to place a candle on their window, "a mark of communion of thought and prayer with the deceased, the sick and their loved ones, with all the caregivers and all those who make the life of our country possible ”.
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The bells of the Sacred Heart resounded in silent Paris.
The bells of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart reasoning about Paris in tribute to the victims of # COVID19 and to the health personnel. pic.twitter.com/uS6FCGPg3Y
- Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) March 25, 2020In a press release, the French Council for Muslim Worship (CFCM) assured "of its fraternal solidarity". In addition, the great mosque of Lyon was illuminated at the start of the evening and the Maghreb call to prayer said from the top of its minaret, to support public service and hospitals.
This evening the Adhan rang in Lyon from the great mosque.
via @Kabtane
(FYI, churches were called to ring their bells at 7 p.m. in homage to caregivers) #coronavirus # COVID19 pic.twitter.com/MaGvV994sg
