“France has been one of the great nations marked by the Christian faith since the dawn of history; and after the fall of the Roman Empire, it was the first nation of the West to declare itself the daughter of the Church, the “eldest daughter of the Church”. For centuries, France made a special contribution to the Catholic Church through the enlightened and heroic testimony of her saints, the doctrinal power of her masters, and the apostolic courage of missionaries …”
John Paul II, Fiumicino, May 30, 1980 before the departure to Paris
“Catholics from France! Be proud of your faith, the gift of the Holy Spirit that the Father has given to you! Give the Church and the world an example of your reliable fidelity and missionary zeal! … We must not forget the very great contribution of the Church and French Catholicism to missionary ministry and Christian culture. We cannot accept that these chapters are closed! … Notre-Dame is a historic place, a sacred place. Here we meet the genius of France, a genius which was expressed in the architecture of this church eight centuries ago and which is always present to bear witness to man! … France, the eldest daughter of the Church, are you faithful to the promises of your baptism? France, daughter of the Church and the teacher of the peoples, are you faithful, for the sake of man, an alliance with eternal wisdom?”
John Paul II in Paris, May 30 and June 1, 1980
With the permission of Bernard Lecomte “The world according to John Paul II”, Tallandier Publishing House, Paris 2018
