By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The Socialist mayor of Reims, France, refused to allow the Our Father to be sung during a celebration marking the 800th anniversary of Reims Cathedral.
Rorarte-Caeli is reporting that Adeline Hazan, the Mayor of Reims, refused to give permission for the Our Father to be sung during ceremonies celebrating the historic Cathedral last Friday.
“We had to discuss with the archbishop [Abp. Thierry Jordan] so that Our Father would not be sung or recited,” said the mayor’s cultural assistant, Jacques Cohen. “We [the staff of Socialist mayor Adeline Hazan] are secular.”
As a result, the prayer was not sung and the only reason the singing of the Ave Maria was tolerated was because the Cathedral is called Notre Dame de Reims, Rorarte reports.
The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Reims (Our Lady of Rheims), once the site of the coronation of French kings, is one of the oldest churches in Christendom. The original building, where France’s first Catholic King – Clovis – was baptized, burned down in AD 496. The structure which stands today replaced the original building and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Reims.
Friday’s celebration included no Mass or religious service, but was comprised mostly of speeches by public figures.
After the ceremonies took place, auxiliary bishop Joseph Boishu confirmed that they “had to negotiate, which took place directly between city hall and the archbishop. It was not simple.”
The public was understandably incensed over the affair. One commenter wrote: ” Why negotiations? It’s a Cathedral! We should adore God as is right, and if seculars don’t like it they don’t have to come.”
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