Franco-German Anthem opens 2013 European Cathedrals Night with Armenian soul and Human Ecology Dream

*Strasbourg/"Notre Dame" Cathedral/- From Freedom of Speech and Personal Liberty, up to Franco-German integration, as well as Historic Links between Mariage and Children even from the Enlightnement era thanks to a Polish Princess, including hints towards Ecology and the need to respect the Human Embryo from abuse, etc., issues of topical European interest were astonishingly present in a Poetic form at Strasbourg cathedral's participation to the 5th year of a special "Night", which spreads today across more than 28 Cathedrals,  throughout Luxembourg, Belgium (Liège), Monaco, France and Germany (Trier), etc., among participating EU Countries.-

     Starting by singing "Freedom of Expression", a favorite Alsacian song in French and Deutsch , followed by an original Mix of the French and German National Anthems takenTogether, and concluding with the World famous Religious song "Amazing Grace", (an Hymn written by English Poet and fighter for the Abolition of Slavery during the Enlightenment , John Newton),  Alsacian singer Virginie Schaeffer artfuly opened a Threefold Horizon for the 2013 European "Night of Cathedrals" in Strasbourg, full of Thousands of People, cited and standing.

    I.e. where was celebrated, at the start of that same "Century of Enlightenment" on 1725, the Mariage of a French King to a Polish Princess, with vital links to the Birth of Children, since initial fears that the frail Young King Louis XV "the Beloved" might die, led to search among 99 European princesses  the best suited, Morally and Physically, to become a Mother to a Heir : The Daughter of Polish King Stanislas (brought earlier to the throne with Sweden's support), resulting to many Children and one of the Longest Reigns : from 1715 up to 1774, almost 60 years ! An Historic event with Topical symbolism, on which the experienced Chancelor of Strasbourg's Archibichopric,  Chanoine Bernard Xibaut, gave an unusual analysis.

    A Soul was given by the moving long Cry of Armenian singer Anna Avetisyan, words being useless in front of the unspeakable Barbary of the 1st Genocide in Modern Times, committed by the Ottoman -Turc regime at the beginning of the 20th Century, which notoriously inspired the NAZI holocausts and other Mass Criminals, just a few days after celebrating its 98th Anniversary, when survivants' succesors asked Truth and Justice for a sustainable Reconciliation in the Future, denouncing the Negationism which still keeps almost all those Responsible for Horrible Crimes and/or still exploiting its results, totally unpunished, even almost 1 Century after the facts, while Armenia soon takes over CoE's Presidency from May to November 2013.

    Handy Digital High-Tech and Internet Technologies at the service of Audio-Visual Documentaries on Strasbourg Cathedral's majestic Architecture and History, preceded by Organ and Flute Music, etc., as well as Tasty Chocolate distributed with bumpy Rock Music, didn't make People forget the Need, for many of them, to search how to cope with  ("joindre les 2 bouts", in French) a prolonged Economic Crisis, as a Predistigateur playing with words reminded them, at the same time that a delicious "Medieval Soup" served at the entrance became too Popular...   

     But tonight's Dream was a "Surprise" whose Secret was carefuly preserved for the Conclusion :  The Culminating point of an Artistic Synthesis made out of Dances, Lights, Music and Poems, wasn't only the Sudden, unexpected emergence, out of the blue Night,  of ...a White Horse, guided by a young Peasant Girl (while in the Past "only Emperors" had the Privilege to enter inside Cathedrals in a Horse-ride), but even of an amazing, Science-Fiction like, huge Transparent Bulb, reminding a Crystal Ball, which contained another young girl inside, who guided it by slowly dancing towards the Sanctuary (Altar), where it "melted" finaly into a Group of Dancers. Accompagnied by Psalms focusing on Creation and Nature, all this inevitably evoked  the Development of a Human Embryon, (named "One of Us" in the EU Citizens' Initiative on BioEthics against Risks of Genetic Manipulations or massive Abortions, etc., also reminding Arthur Clark/Stanley Kubrick's Space Odyssee final image).

I.e. obviously close to the Ideas of "Human Ecology", developed particularly by Pope emeritus Benedict up to his Last "Prayer intention for March" 2013 to ask that "respect for Nature may grow, with the Awareness that all Creation is God's work entrusted to Human Responsibility", while New Pope Francis decided to highlight as integral part of the Symbol in his chosen Name : A reference to Saint Francis of Assisi, (who has been declared by late Pope John-Paul II as "patron of Ecology" since 1979, including Environment, Plants, Animals, etc.), pleading for a "profound respect for the entire Creation and the protection of our Environment", as he stressed from the outset, since the 1st week of his election, both to the Press and to Ambassadors at the Vatican, (16 - 22 March 2013).

Curiously, however, a landmark Icon which includes a symbol alike to the European Flag over Strasbourg Cathedral's Sanctuary, appeared overlooked or forgotten tonight by the selective but superb Light-beams prepared for this special 2013 event. Nevertheless, the Head Priest, Michel Wackenheim, topically reminded the 2015 Rendez-vous on the over-Millenary Anniversary of Strasbourg Cathedral's Foundations, just after crucial 2014 EU Parliament Elections...

 http://youtu.be/Q5NePHkFo6k

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