Interesting historical moments

 The Living Tradition celebrated Annually... 

Every September 8, the hill of Fourvière in Lyon comes alive with a centuries-old tradition: the renewal of the Vow of the Aldermen. What began in 1643, when the city’s leaders prayed for protection from the great plague epidemic, has grown into a celebration of faith, history, and civic pride that continues to this day.

Back then, the provost of merchants—Lyon’s mayor at the time—along with his four aldermen and citizens of Lyon, climbed to the chapel of the Virgin on the feast of her Nativity. There, they made a solemn vow: if the city was spared, they would return every year for Mass, offering seven pounds of white wax and a gold shield in gratitude. Lyon survived, and although the ceremony was interrupted by wars, revolutions, and political change, it endured, becoming a lasting symbol of the city’s resilience and devotion.

Over the centuries, the tradition has been observed with varying consistency. In the second half of the 20th century, successive mayors of Lyon—from Louis Pradel (1957–1976) to Gérard Collomb—regularly participated in the Fourvière Mass. Collomb became so attached to the ceremony that he even returned in 2018, after assuming the post of Minister of the Interior.

The election of Grégory Doucet in 2020 changed this pattern. In keeping with his secular principles, he chose not to attend the ceremony and declined deputy representation. He has, however, accepted invitations to join the celebrations outside on the Fourvière esplanade after the Mass concludes. As a result, the Fourvière Foundation now selects prominent local figures each year to symbolically represent the city, instead of the Mayor, by presenting the golden shield to the Archbishop of Lyon. For 2025, the Fourvière Foundation chose a couple: Claire Pouzin, the recently elected mayor of nearby Francheville, and her husband Benjamin Pouzin, singer and guitarist of the Christian music group Glorious.

From the footsteps of aldermen to the voices of contemporary citizens, the Aldermen’s Vow continues to connect Lyon to its spiritual and cultural heritage, reminding all who participate of the enduring power of faith, courage, and unity.

 Today, Lyon is known around the world for its dazzling light festival, often associated in popular imagination with the pioneering Lumière brothers. Yet the origins of the Fête des Lumières are far humbler, rooted in profound faith and in the city’s intimate devotion to Our Lady of Fourvière, their Queen and Mother.

In 1852, the people of Lyon wished to express their gratitude to the Virgin Mary after the city was spared during the upheavals of the revolutions of 1830 and 1848. They decided to honor her by adding a tall tower to the Chapel of the Virgin at Fourvière, surmounted by a great bronze figure of Our Lady. The inauguration of the renovated church and tower was originally planned for September 8th, but heavy flooding forced the celebration to be moved to December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. On that day, rain also prevented the planned fireworks and festivities, yet the citizens, undeterred, placed lanterns and candles on their windowsills and processed up the hill anyway, creating a simple but luminous tribute.

This spontaneous gesture grew into the city-wide festival we know today. Even now, the faithful continue to place lit candles or lanterns in their windows and make the pilgrimage up the hill to the basilica by candlelight or flashlight each 8th December, joining in quiet harmony with the spectacular light displays that illuminate the streets. From its modest beginnings to its modern grandeur, the Fête des Lumières still carries the echoes of Lyon’s deep reverence and communal thanks, a luminous testament to faith, gratitude, and their trust in the Mother of Jesus.

 During World War II, Lyon earned a reputation that would echo through history—it became known as the Capital of the Resistance. Nestled in southeastern France, Lyon’s strategic location made it a vital hub for communication and movement, allowing resistance networks to operate across the country.

The city was alive with clandestine activity. Students, intellectuals, and workers risked everything to produce underground newspapers, sabotage German operations, and help Allied efforts. 

Lyon was also the base for influential leaders like Jean Moulin, who worked tirelessly to unite the scattered resistance groups under the Conseil National de la Résistance, forging a coordinated front against the occupiers.

Lyon’s resistance came at a high cost. The city endured brutal reprisals under Nazi officials, most notoriously Klaus Barbie, known as the “Butcher of Lyon.” 

He oversaw the torture and deportation of countless resistance members and civilians. After the war, Barbie escaped to South America, living for years in Bolivia before being captured in 1983. He was extradited to France, tried for crimes against humanity, and sentenced to life in prison, ultimately dying in 1991 without ever showing remorse for his actions.

Yet despite these atrocities, Lyon never faltered. The city became more than just a hub of resistance—it became a symbol of defiance, resilience, and hope for all of France. Today, visitors can trace the paths of these heroes, remembering a time when courage turned an ordinary city into the beating heart of a nation’s fight for freedom.

  The Centre d’histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation (CHRD) in Lyon is a museum dedicated to the city’s role in World War II. Housed in the former Gestapo headquarters, it tells the story of the French Resistance, the deportation of thousands, and the struggles of ordinary citizens under Nazi occupation. Visitors can explore exhibits, personal testimonies, and historical artifacts that bring to life Lyon’s courage and resilience during the war. It stands as both an educational site and a powerful memorial to those who fought and suffered.