French Boys Activities: Religious Faiths


Figure 1.-- this is a Catholic church service. The choirboys already are wearing their aubes. This church does not have a stage, but usually altar boys (sometimes choirboys) will kneel on the steps of the stage, one boy on the left and one boy on the right of the priest. During a procession, they will stand up to do a task and after, they will return to the steps and kneel. Here two of the choirboys are acting as altar boys. The other choristers remain behind them to sing. There is a fine difference between altar boys and choirboys. Usually we say altar boys wear vêtements, and choirboys wear the aube. Here as the the two altar servers are also choristers they are wearing their choir aubes rather than the vêtements they usually wear when assisting the Priest. As this church do not have steps, the boys kneel assisting the priest on the floor, as you can see in another photo which can be viewed by clicking on the image.

France is a largely Roman Catholic country. As a result, the religious experiebes of mosst French boys had been Catholic. The two most imprtant experiences have been altar boys and choristers. The two experiences were joined in the early Church, bit gradually became separated, especially as the boy choir tradition declined. The French monarchy became a major support for the Roman Catholic Church in Europe. The Monarchy was noe of thecfirst in Europe to achieve control of the clergy from the papacy. The Reformation made considerable progress in France, leading to horrendous religious wars (16th-17th centuries). The St. Barthlomeu Day Masacre was a particularly grevious incident setting off the horrendous religious wars (16th-17th centuries). The Edict of Nantes established a period of toleration. Louis XIV's revocation set off a terrible round of persecution. Many Hugenots fled the country. Since the Revolution there has been religious freedom. There was an important Jewish community in France, especially in Alsace. The French Jewish community was descimated by the NAZIs in the World War II Holocaust. After World War II and the terrible war in Algeria, migrants from North Africa have added Islam to France's important religious groups. A French reader tells us today less than 80 percent are Catholic as a result of the Muslim immigration from North Africa. Our guess is that the 80 percent figure is 'cultureally' Catholic. Actually practicing Catholic would be much lower. As far as I can see Europe is undergoing a de-Chritenization process. A French reader tells us, "HBC is correct. Actually it is worse, in my time the Churches were full. Today the are almost empty. Few people are praticing, but all most people are still attached and are respect our Catholic Churchs as part of our cultural heritage. It is similar in Austria and many other European countries."

Christianity

France is a largely Roman Catholic country. As a result, the religious experiebes of mosst French boys had been Catholic. The two most imprtant experiences have been altar boys and choristers. The two experiences were joined in the early Church, bit gradually became separated, especially as the boy choir tradition declined. The French monarchy became a major support for the Roman Catholic Church in Europe. The Monarchy was noe of thecfirst in Europe to achieve control of the clergy from the papacy. The Reformation made considerable progress in France, leading to horrendous religious wars (16th-17th centuries). The St. Barthlomeu Day Masacre was a particularly grevious incident setting off the horrendous religious wars (16th-17th centuries). The Edict of Nantes established a period of toleration. Louis XIV's revocation set off a terrible round of persecution. Many Hugenots fled the country. Since the Revolution there has been religious freedom. A French reader tells us today less than 80 percent are Catholic as a result of the Muslim immigration from North Africa. Our guess is that the 80 percent figure is "cultureally" Catholic. Actually practicing Catholic would be much lower. As far as I can see Europe is undergoing a de-Chritenization process. A French reader tells us, "HBC is correct. Actually it is worse, in my time the Churches were full. Today the are almost empty. Few people are praticing, but all most people are still attached and are respect our Catholic Churchs as part of our cultural heritage. It is similar in Austria and many other European countries."

Judaism

Jews first reached France during the Roman era. There has been a ontinuing Jewish presence in France since that time. With the coming of Christianity, the Jewish community went through periods of both toleration and persecution depending on the policies of both the Church and the ruling monarch. The Crusades brought on an era of persecution and expuslions. When reviewing the many drastic actions taken against Jews in France, it is difficult to understand how Jews survived in France at all. It is unclear what became of the Jews expelled from France and how many survived expullsion. There appears to have been a break after King Charles VI's expulsion (1394). Some Jews may have survived in France by feigning conversion. But basically Jewish culture was extunguished and subsequent Jewish history in France devdlops from immigrants, both Sephardic and Ashkenazim. The secularization of the French Revolution brought an era of toleration and emancipation. Even so there was a strong anti-Semetic element within France. even into the 20th century. Jews in the 19th and 20th century played a major role in French intelectual and commercial life. There was by the 20th century an important Jewish community in France, especially in Alsace. The French Jewish community was descimated by the NAZIs in the World War II Holocaust.

Islam

After World War II and the terrible war in Algeria, migrants from North Africa have added Islam to France's important religious groups.







HBC







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Created: 10:47 PM 2/12/2013
Last updated: 10:47 PM 2/12/2013