Evening star., 1918-06-02


The Pantheon walls are covered
with great frescoes OF her life and
dofngn. American families. public
libraries. etc. have framed photo
graphs of them. particularly the
famous Puvis de Chavannes fresco of
"Genevieve. in Her Old Age. Watches
Over the Sleeping City" Americans
have always been great visitors to
the Pantheon, built on the hill OF 81
Genevieve, where she lived and died:
and when in mid-July. 1914. visited
her tomb in the nearby Church OF st:
Etienne of the Mount with party OF
tourists, admit that most OF US were
interested rather in the artistic SIDE
that my next visits would be among
vast throngs of Parisians. in their
distress. thankfulness and hope.
actually praying beside the shrine.
Everything happens over again.
Then they were praying against
the invasion and giving thanks for
the victory of the Marne.
Now you know why they are at the
born a peasant. who lived long ago
and has often been forgotten by the
pieasure-loving city: but when dire
danger threatens Paris, the popula-
ton fnstinctively rushes to the spot
before Joan of Arc. Young Joan Is
the liberator of the land" Old
Genevieve is "the mother of her
country" ''the defender of the city"
Twice Genevieve saved Paris dur
ing her lifetime; and all through the
centuries Parisians have believed that
prayers said for Paris in distress be-
side her tomb have been especially
heard of God. for memory of the
own added intercessions. They
believe that it helped France to the
yictory Of the Marne. Certainly. the
Germans began to neglect Paris after
on the very days OF the iridium Of
supplications" (September 6. Z. 8.
1911 appointed by the cardinal
archbishop of Paris to be celebrated
in the church. beside her tomb.
A coincidence? They cite many CO.
incidences. The same condolences
might have been claimed during
'ienevieve's lifetime, when Attila and
his Huns, 100000 strong, after ravag-
ing all Lorraine and sacking Metz
straight for Orleans and neglected
Paris.
The present kaiser's favorite son is
named dAttila-Eitel-anda after killing
IS worshipers in famous Paris
church by q long-range shell on Good
neglecting Paris again in favor of
Calais-when do you think? Why.
on the Tuesday following Easter
Monday. second day Of the new tri-
dunn OF supplications at the tomb Of
Genevieve proclaimed by CARDINAL
Genevieve. at that long-ago mo-
eight, but already of wide popular in
fiuence by her burning piety. AS
child she had been noted by a pow
erfug protector of the people. The
Bishop st. Germain of Auxerro said:
"She will be great before God. and
her example will saye many" From
the age Of fifteen, when she took the
veil (but lived with her parents.
there being as yet no convents). her
influence on the women of Paris
airst time is queer story. open to
natural explanations. The queer part
is that the more you think of them,
the less you are sure of them.
Genevieve never saw Attila. that,
ruined the world. These were tho
o: iginal Huns. who wanted to organ
iZc everybody. Organizing means to
break into bank with a jimmy be-
iause I'VE can use that money" At
tild q ~ o&AAbSkSu XATlS. buI now
RID II come about that Genevieve was
10 sure that he would not attack
Paris? 1t looked like 1t. He was
Loaded for Paris. Nacht Parisi The
people were wild with fright. remem-
bering the ravages of the Vandals.
AIains. Saxons. Goths. Burgunds and
Allemans some fifty years previously
They burned. wasted and cut throats
fown to Spain. and utterly destroyed
The flourishing Christian civilization
Vt North Africa.
Genevieve exhorted the Parisians
not to flee. but remain in their
walls: because, should they sit tight
and pray. the invading hordes would
be beaten by the allies elsewhere and
not get to Paris.
First. she got the women to fast
ing, praying and sitting up all night
in holy vigils. In time Of trouble
such examples are contagious and
the spiritual forces which are stored
up. as In an accumulator. are inn
mense. God works in a mysterious
way His wonders to perform. Did
you ever see a great city in fervent
supplication?
The women got the men of Paris
TO praying. fasting and confessing
hn