Last Minute Easter Program

Notre Dame today at about 15:30.

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Paris:- Wednesday, 19. April 2000:- For Monday's issue, it didn't occur to me that there is more to Easter than looking for eggs. I could never find them, so even egg-hunts aren't on my memory's hit-parade.

I have found a bit of an Easter program in today's Le Parisien and what follows is the best I can do with it. There were a lot of events today - which I actually stumbled into while getting this update's one photo.

What you've missed, unless you have better sense of events than I have or chanced on it by accident:

5000 kids on rollers arriving in front of Notre Dame in the afternoon, to be entertained by five 'orchestras' from far-flung parts of the world.

At the same time, 3000 other kids were rehearsing for a 'celebration' to be put on at Bercy for 16,000 spectators. Paris' Cardinal Lustiger will bless 12 jars of holy oil - which will be used throughout the coming year for various ceremonies. A mass was to be given at Bercy at 18:00.

Thursday, 20. April:- All parishes will celebrate the 'Last Supper' with a mass; with the principle mass being led by Cardinal Lustiger at Notre Dame at 18:30.

Friday, 21. April:- Throughout Paris, 'Paths of the Cross' will be underway, with the one to Montmartre's Sacre Coeur starting at 12:30, from the Square Willette, just below the church. At the same time, another will be making its way to the Saint-Louis-en-l'Ile church, and around the Saint-Augustin church. Notre Dame's turn comes at 15:00.

Saturday, 22. April:- This holy day will be marked by an overnight vigil, with candles being lit as darkness falls. I think I read somewhere that taking part in this at Notre Dame is by invitation.

Sunday, 23. April:- There will be 242 baptisms celebrated in Paris' churches on Easter Sunday.

Today at Notre Dame there was a very large crowd and very long lines to get into the cathedral. The arrival of the roller kids added a lot of color, and a lot more people.

About the rest of Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, Le Parisien is keeping the program - if there is one - to itself. Remember that Easter Monday is a national holiday in France. If I find any new bits of program, I will add them here.

Finally - even though I have given this up - the weather forecast is for rapidly changing weather, fairly mild temperatures, and with Sunday being predicted tonight as the brightest day in the near future.