Hail Mary, full of Grace…

… Is how the novena starts, I believe. Paul seems to have forgotten how to be a Catholic and can’t recite it any more. Not that it’s important.

In addition to a special on Glen Gould on TV last night (by the CBC, nonetheless), there was a report on the evening news saying that people are now stealing items from churches (here many churches are open every day for prayer and tourists) and putting them on e bay.

If that isn’t the saddest, most pathetic comment on today’s society, I don’t know what is.

In addition to all the little chapels that I told you about in an earlier blog, the evidence of Catholicism is everywhere here. Mind you, I believe that France says it’s the “First daughter of the Catholic Church,” so you expect to find it.

You may have to search hard to find them, due to my lack of a zoom lens, but all of today’s photos show various religious symbols on buildings around town. They are all either representation of Mary or Saint Michael (You heard about him earlier). One would be guilty of missing a lot of them, as they are up high or tucked into inconspicuous places. In some ways, as a protestant, they seem both slightly 19^th Century and archaic – but they bring comfort and a constant reminder of faith to those who practice it.

The most impressive one is the large statue of Mary up high on the end of the yellow building (middle photo).

Look closely at it.

Now closer.

Closer again.

Did you notice that she’s faux painted? Did you notice that the entire end of that building is faux painted except for the left & right windows at the very top of the building? I think that is a true work of trompe l’œil if there ever was one. The image of Mary looks like it’s in a niche and that her hand is extended out from her body, beyond the wall. Paul & I argued about it being painted or real one night for about an hour, until we noticed that she casts no shadow. Truly amazing!

We were going to go to Monte Carlo today. However, we decided that with the Grand Prix ending only yesterday, the place would still be bedlam. I don’t think that we’ll go this year, which in a way is sad, because I wanted to share it with you all. We have been several times before, but it’s a unique place (although it looks the same as the rest of the Côte d’Azur), but maybe if we come next year I’ll still be blogging and you can see it all then.

Love to all from the Côte!