fr Church

[Dharshini]

History

The site of the 19th-century basilica is traditionally associated with the beheading of the city's patron, Saint Denis, in the 3rd century. According to legend, after he was martyred, Bishop Denis picked up his severed head and carried it several miles to the north, where the suburb of Saint-Denis stands today.

After France's 1870 defeat by the Prussians in the Franco-Prussian War and its aftermath, the Commune of 1871, the basilica was planned as a guilt offering and a vote of confidence to cure France's misfortunes.

The church was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a cult that gained popularity after 1873, when the first pilgrimage was organized to Paray-le-Monial in Burgundy. It was there that revelations encouraging prayer to Christ's sacred heart had been reported in the 17th century.

The foundation stone of the Basilique Sacré-Coeur was laid in 1875. It was consecrated in 1891, fully completed in 1914, and elevated to the status of a basilica in 1919, after the end of the First World War.


Names:   Sacré-Coeur Basilica; Basilique Sacré-Coeur
Location:   Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Faith:   Christianity
Denomination:   Catholic
Dedication:   Sacred Heart
Category:   Churches
Architecture:   Neo-Byzantine, Neo-Romanesque
Date:   1875-1919
Patron(s):   national subscription
Architect:   Paul Abadie
Size:   Height: 271 feet
Savoyarde bell: 19 tons

[குழலி]

apo nan kovil pathi poduren

[Dharshini]

Sri Harmandir Sahib (Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar)
The Golden Temple, Amritsar

The Golden Temple Amritsar India (Sri Harimandir Sahib Amritsar) is not only a central religious place of the Sikhs, but also a symbol of human brotherhood and equality. Everybody, irrespective of cast, creed or race can seek spiritual solace and religious fulfilment without any hindrance. It also represents the distinct identity, glory and heritage of the Sikhs. To pen-down the philosophy, ideology, the inner and outer beauty, as well as the historical legacy of Sri Harimandir Sahib is a momentous task. It is a matter of experience rather than a of description.

As advised by Sri Guru Amar Dass Ji (3rd Sikh Guru), Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji (4th Sikh Guru) started the digging of Amrit Sarovar (Holy Tank) in 1577 A.D., which was later on brick-lined by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji (5th Sikh Guru) on December 15, 1588 and He also started the construction of Sri Harimandir Sahib. Sri Guru Granth Sahib (scripture of the Sikhs), after its compilation, was first installed at Sri Harimandir Sahib on August 16, 1604 A.D. A devout Sikh, Baba Budha Ji was appointed its first Head Priest.

The Golden Temple Amritsar India (Sri Harimandir Sahib Amritsar) has a unique Sikh architecture. Built at a level lower than the surrounding land level, The Gurudwara teaches the lesson of egalitarianism and humility. The four entrances of this holy shrine from all four directions, signify that people belonging to every walk of life are equally welcome.

[Dharshini]

Varanasi (Benares, Banaras, Kashi), on the left bank of the Ganga (Ganges), is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus. Among the oldest continuously inhabited cities of the world, "its early history is that of the first Aryan settlement in the middle Ganga valley. By late 2nd millennium BCE, Varanasi was a seat of Aryan religion and philosophy and a commercial and industrial centre famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture."

It was the capital of the kingdom of Kashi during the Buddha's time (6th century BCE), who, after achieving enlightenment, gave his first sermon at nearby Sarnath (it is said that he purposely avoided this hotbed of Brahmanism). The Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsiang visited Varanasi in c. 635 CE and saw it as a centre of art, education, and religion. The city, he wrote, extended for about 5 km along the western bank of the Ganga.

Varanasi declined during the early centuries of Muslim rule in India (from 1194). Its temples were destroyed and its scholars fled to other parts of India. In the 16th century, Akbar brought some relief to the city's religious and cultural activities. Fresh setbacks came with Aurangzeb but the Marathas again sponsored a revival. It became an independent kingdom in the 18th century. Under the British it remained a commercial and religious centre; in 1910 it became a new Indian state (until 1949).

Varanasi has the finest religious river frontage in India, with miles of ghats (steps) for bathing; shrines, temples, and palaces rise tier on tier from the bank. Over a million pilgrims visit each year; many hope to die there in old age. A center of learning through the ages, it now has three universities, including the large Banaras Hindu University (estd. 1915), and over a dozen colleges. Besides being a centre of arts, crafts, music and dance, it is still famous for its production of silks (and brocades with gold and silver threadwork), as well as for wooden toys, bangles made of glass, ivory work, and brassware.

[Dharshini]

Notre Dame Cathedral (full name: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, "Our Lady of Paris") is a beautiful cathedral on the the Île de la Cité in Paris. Begun in 1163 and mostly completed by 1250, Notre Dame is an important example of French Gothic architecture, sculpture and stained glass.

The Notre Dame is the most popular monument in Paris and in all of France, beating even the Eiffel Tower with 13 million visitors each year. But the famous cathedral is also an active Catholic church, a place of pilgrimage, and the focal point for Catholicism in France - religious events of national significance still take place here.



History

The Notre Dame de Paris stands on the site of Paris' first Christian church, Saint Etienne basilica, which was itself built on the site of a Roman temple to Jupiter.

Notre-Dame's first version was a "magnificent church" built by Childebert I, the king of the Franks at the time, in 528, and was already the cathedral of the city of Paris in the 10th century. However, in 1160, having become the "parish church of the kings of Europe," Bishop Maurice de Sully deemed the building unworthy of its lofty role, and had it demolished.

Construction on the current cathedral began in 1163, during the reign of Louis VII, and opinion differs as to whether Bishop Maurice de Sully or Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone of the cathedral.

Construction of the west front, with its distinctive two towers, began in around 1200 before the nave had been completed. Over the construction period, numerous architects worked on the site, as is evidenced by the differing styles at different heights of the west front and towers.

Between 1210 and 1220, the fourth architect oversaw the construction of the level with the rose window and the great halls beneath the towers. The towers were finished around 1245 and the cathedral was finally completed around 1345.

During the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV at the end of the 17th century the cathedral underwent major alterations, during which many tombs and stained glass windows were destroyed.

In 1793, the cathedral fell victim to the French Revolution. Many sculptures and treasures were destroyed or plundered; the cathedral was rededicated to the Cult of Reason and later to the Cult of the Supreme Being. Lady Liberty replaced the Virgin Mary on several altars. The cathedral also came to be used as a warehouse for the storage of food.

Napoleon Bonaparte, who had declared the Empire on May 28, 1804, was crowned Emperor at Notre-Dame on December 2, 1804.

A restoration program was initiated in 1845, overseen by architects Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus and Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. The restoration lasted 23 years, and included the construction of a spire.

In 1871, a civil uprising leading to the establishment of the short-lived Paris Commune nearly set fire to the cathedral, and some records suggest that a mount of chairs within the cathedral were set alight. In 1905, the law of separation of Church and State was passed; as all cathedrals, Notre-Dame remains state property, but its use is granted to the Roman Catholic Church.

The Te Deum Mass took place in the cathedral to celebrate the liberation of Paris in August 26, 1944. The Requiem Mass of General Charles de Gaulle took place in the cathedral on November 12, 1970.

In 1991, a major restoration program was undertaken. It was expected to last 10 years but continued well into the 21st century - the cleaning and restoration of the old sculptures was an exceedingly delicate job. But now the scaffolding is down and the result is spectacular: the stone architecture and sculptures gleam in their original honey-toned color instead of industrial black.

[Dharshini]

The Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is a chapel in Paris revered by Catholics as the site of three apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1830.



History

The Chapel of the Daughters of Charity was consecrated in Paris on August 6, 1815 and dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The building was previously the medieval Hôtel de Châtillon.

St. Catherine Labouré (born Zoe Labouré) was born to a middle-class farming family in Burgundy on May 2, 1806. She felt a call to the monastic life early, and once had a dream of St. Vincent-de-Paul telling her "God has plans for you."

On April 21, 1830, at the age of 24, Zoe entered the Daughters of Charity Mother House on the Rue du Bac in Paris. Shortly thereafter, she changed her name to Catherine. St. Catherine soon reported three apparitions of Mary that would lead to a popular new devotion throughout the Catholic Church.

The apparitions began on the night of July 18, 1830, just a few months into her monastic life. The young nun was awakened at 11:30pm by a small child who told her to "Come to the Chapel, the Blessed Virgin is waiting for you." Catherine dressed and did so, and found the chapel fully lit.

She prayed in silence at the altar for about a half an hour, and the child said, "Look, the Blessed Virgin, she is here." The Virgin Mary then spoke to Catherine, saying that at the foot of that altar, graces would be poured out on those who ask with confidence.

The second apparition occurred on November 27, 1830, at 5:30pm in the same chapel. This time, the Virgin appeared near the painting of St. Joseph and showed Catherine the design for what would become known as the "Miraculous Medal." On one side was an image of Mary, surrounded by the prayer, "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you." The reverse side of the medal bore a letter "M" surmounted by a cross and over two hearts, one encircled with a crown of thorns, and the other pierced with a sword.

The Virgin Mary instructed St. Catherine, "have a medal struck on this model. All those who carry this will receive Grace in abundance, especially if they wear the medal around their neck and say this prayer confidently, they will receive special protection from the Mother of God and abundant graces."

The third apparition occurred on December 30, 1830. St. Catherine was meditating in the chapel when she had a vision of the medal behind the altar and heard, "These rays are the symbol of the graces that the Blessed Virgin obtains for those who ask them of her."

Catherine told the story to her confessor, who at first did not believe her. Later, at her insistence, he took the information to the Archbishop of Paris who in May of 1832 authorized the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, as it was originally known. Many miracles were reported in connection with the medal and some 10 million medals were sold during the first 5 years.

In February 1831, Sister Catherine left the Daughters of Charity for the Hospice of Enghien, located in a poverty-stricken area of eastern Paris. She served the poor there for the remaining 46 years of her life.

In February 1832, a deadly cholera epidemic claimed the lives of more than 20,000 Parisians. The sisters began to distribute the first copies of the medal, and cures and protections were soon reported.

Sister Catherine wished to keep her connection with the apparitions a secret, and only in the months close to her death on Dec. 31, 1876, did it become generally known.

When Catherine's body was exhumed in 1933, it was found miraculously preserved. Her incorrupt body now lies on display in the chapel in a glass case. Pope Pius XII named her a Saint on July 27, 1947.