The Weekly Special is a new section that is dedicated to photographs from the past and present. Lyon just finished its Fête des Lumières (The Festival of Lights), so this Special contains more than one picture.
The origins of the festival date back to 1643 when the Virgin Mary is believed to have saved the city from the Black Plaque. Ever since, an annual solemn procession makes its way up the city-dominating Fourvière Hill to light candles and give offerings to the Virgin. The event became popular in 1852 when a statue of Mary was placed on the Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière. The dedication of the statue was to be held on September 8th; however flooding of the Saône prevented the ceremony from taking place. The event was pushed to December 8th, a day reserved for celebrating the Immaculate Conception, so the Lyonnais could applaud two things at once. The prominent Catholics of the time suggested lighting up the façades of their homes as was traditionally done for major events such as royal processions and military victories. The tradition stuck.
Every December 8th, thousands of candles are lined up on windowsills throughout Lyon to pay homage to Mary. The one day of gratitude has now grown into a four-day festival that attracts an average of four million visitors every year.
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