The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-04
Paris Appeals to
 GenevieVe For Aid
 Against Modern Huns''

It. was the piety Of sainte Gene vieve in the pious belief of Catholic Parisians. which saved their city when Europe was being ravaged by Attila and his Huns in the fifth cen of January, the anniversary of Genevfeve's death in the year 512, has been celebrated in Paris. and on that day all the religious folk of the French capital seek the intercession of the city's patroness saint The observance on this Sunday will doubt less be the most general and devol1t in centuries. for in the popular inn agitation of Parisians the German emperor and his men are the modern counterparts of Atti1a and his rag ing Huns.
 war the press and people of Paris have compared Wilhelm and Attila- somewhat to the advantage of the latter-and the injury inflicted by Teuton guns on the Rheims cathe- draI and other sacred structures has served to make this sirniIe a common figure of speech Atttla and Will helm have become synonyms for the Parisians.
 This comparison of the Kaiser and the "Scourga of God,' has wrought a great awakening of interest in Sainte $1S14S N1eSf 0s WHO HAS E4lWS14Ss been AO4- cred as the patroness of Paris. Ac- cording to the legend, when AttiIa and his devouring army of Huns were approaching the city, the in habitants, yielding to Genevieve,s ex- hortations instead of fleeing gave themselves to prayer and penance. and thus averted, as Genev1eve had foretold, tI4e4 apparently impending scourge. During the siege of Paris by ChiIderic, the king of the Franks. Genevieve with a few devoted follow CTS went out of the city and procured food for the starving people. When the Franks captured the city the so- lfcitatiens Of Genevieve are said to have moved the acts of cIemency and generosity.
 Salnte Genevieve's day centers in the church on the Place du Pantheon. This structure was completed 150 years ago, on the site of an ancient church where Genevieye was buried and where also were E1aced the re- version to Christianity Genevieve was largely Instrumental. During the revolution the edifice was withdrawn efrom the service Of religion ana was named the Pantheon, but 1t was later restored to ecclesiastical uses.
 During the observance of sainte. Genev1evess Day the Place dI1 Pan thson is the Mecca of hundreds Of thousands of stpiIgrims,' and becomes Tor the time second Lourdes Among those who place candles on the tomb or the patroness of Paris are neonlA5 of all stations in life rich and moor of all ages and Of both sexes so- ciety women and scrubwomen rub elbows Many carry or support fl, the shrine their invalid friends or relatives, for whom they seek the in- tercession of the saint Paris is often | dfS Fao6 os Iea-. this is true of majority of the gov ernment officials and sfnteIIectuaIs B hundreds of thousands of poor neo- pie and wealthy nobles still meet on the common ground of faith in Christianity The French eovey.n- ment and Intellectual leaders nav have given God his passports and sent him out of France's but on Genevieve's Day it is evident that agnosticism is far from universal in the City of Light
 On this day the Place du Pantheon abounds with booths where hawkers sell medals and papier mache images or Genevieve, rosaries, and other sa cred objects and they reep a rich harvest Inside the church, on the stone which is the tomb of the saint, the worshippers place rosAries scani11 laries and medals to have them bIess ed by the abbe
 As they file past the tomb tba faithful chant the litanies of Sainta Genevieve: safnte Genevieve. terror of the Huns. sainte Genevieve, our help in time of need
 sainte Genevieve, help in time of
 plague,
 safnte Genevieve. protector against the floods,
 Sainte Genevieve, our new fortune in
 prosperity
 Pray for us.
 According to the figures usuaIIv given. Sainte Genevieve was born in Nanterres in the outskirts of Paris. in 422, and died in the year 512 Dur ing the intervening ninety years Of her life she not only protected Paris from the, ferocity of foreign foes. but was powerful in winning over to lChrisctianity many of the greatest l men Of the time, as well as thou sands of common people. The reference in the Htany to her help in time of plague" refers to the terrible pestiIence which broke out in Paris in the year .1129 In a few days 14,000 persons died, and. according to the legend, the con tagion threatened to depopuIate the city until the shrine of Sainte Gene vieve was carried in solemn proces- sion through the city After that. it l is said, only three persons died. and all of the thousands of others who were sick recovered This was one of scores Of miraculous favors which the