Keeping Up With the Kissingers: Girls’ France Trip: Paris!

Ellie and I had two full days in Paris before heading to Lourdes.

After visiting Notre Dame Cathedral (two days before the fire), we walked a block or two to Sainte-Chapelle. I had never been here before, and after reading parts of Bishop Robert Barron's Catholicism book (of which the front cover is him entering Saint-Chapelle) I was really excited to go. Here's what Bishop Barron had to say about the chapel:

"I don't know any other place on earth that evokes the power of prayer more than the magnificent Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Built by King Louis IX (Saint Louis) in the thirteenth century as a grand repository for the relic of Jesus's crown of thorns, the Saint-Chapelle is a jewel box of stained glass and gothic tracery. When you enter the building you have the distinct impression of having stepped across a threshold into another, higher world. Lord Kenneth Clark, the great twentieth-century art historian, said that when the light pours through the colored glass of the Saint-Chapelle, it sets up a kind of vibration in the air, an electrical charge. It is, if you will, the artistic representation of the electric meeting of two spirits, human and divine. It is what a human heart, elevated to and by God, looks like: transfigured, luminous, radiantly beautiful."

I'm not sure I was able to fully experience the chapel the way Bishop Barron has, but it was amazing to be surrounded by all this beauty, history, and spiritual significance - as this was built solely for Our Lord's Crown of Thorns! The chapel is where the Crown of Thorns had been housed before it was moved to Notre Dame Cathedral's Treasury, which is where it was the day we visited. Two days later, during the fire, it was one of the first treasures rescued and moved to another location (I'm not sure where).

From Sainte-Chapelle we walked along the River Seine, stopping for lunch and dessert!

Notre Dame Cathdral's towers & spire (pre-fire) in the background

It was about a 20 minute walk along the river to Musee du Louvre.

In the Louvre we saw:

Mona Lisa

Winged Victory

Venus de Milo

Royal Apartments (Napoleon III)

Then outside the Louvre, we spent time relaxing and having fun in Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden).

After dinner, we made our way to Place du Trocadero, where I had read was the best spot to see the Eiffel Tower! We agree :) The tower "sparkles" every hour on the hour for five minutes after the sun sets. The sunset was around 8:50pm, so we were there and ready in the 'front row' for the 9:00pm sparkle show! Ellie said this was her favorite part of our Paris trip! So I guess it was worth keeping her awake past her bedtime :)

The next morning was the start of Holy Week. We slept in and then went to Chapelle Notre Dame de la Medaille Miraculeuse (Miraculous Medal Shrine) on Rue du Bac for Palm Sunday Mass.

Quoting from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers 'Pocket Guide to Parisian Holy Sites':

"The Daughters of Charity Convent is on a 'back street' ('rue du Bac') of Paris. This is where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in 1830 to a young novitiate, Catherine Laboure. The Mother of God had the words 'O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee' encircling her and directed the novice to 'have a medal struck after this model; all who wear it will receive great graces; they should wear it around the neck and graces will abound for those who wear it with confidence.' Medals were made and distributed. So may miracles and extraordinary conversions occurred that the Immaculate Conception medal became known and is still known as the Miraculous Medal!"

Ellie and I both got miraculous medals before Mass began.

Rue du Bac

Inside the Chapel of the apparitions, where we attended Mass

St. Catherine's incorrupt body

Reliquary holding the incorrupt heart of St. Vincent de Paul,
above the chair where Our Lady sat during the apparitions

After Mass, we walked two blocks down to the Chapel where St. Vincent de Paul's incorrupt body rests (above the high altar). St. Vincent de Paul is a model of charity and lover of the poor.

Then we strolled (while Ellie counted every white line in the crosswalk... she was up to 100 and something...) over to the famous Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Gardens).