20/11/2023
DON’T MISS THE 2023 LYON FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS TAKING PLACE FROM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7 TO SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10.
Festival history
FROM 8 DECEMBER TO THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Ever since Lyon was founded, light has held a special place in the city and each year on 8 December, this special connection radiates throughout the city. The Festival of Lights is an international event renowned for its temporary light installations during which the city is metamorphosed for four magical evenings, reconnecting with a popular tradition dating back to 1852. That year, against a backdrop of social unrest, recurring floods and radical urban change, the decision was taken to erect a statue of the Virgin Mary on Fourvière Hill.
The inauguration was scheduled for 8 September, the date of the traditional procession of Aldermen, but flooding delayed delivery of the statue. The event was therefore postponed to 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. But once again, official ceremonies had to be abandoned due to inclement weather. Seeing the weather improve as night fell, the people of Lyon spontaneously placed lit candles on their window sills and balconies; a symbol of the people coming together in a spirit of solidarity. The tradition of 8 December continued over the following decades and the citizens of Lyon are now very attached to this popular annual event.
DON’T MISS THE 2023 LYON FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS TAKING PLACE FROM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7 TO SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10.
Festival history
FROM 8 DECEMBER TO THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Ever since Lyon was founded, light has held a special place in the city and each year on 8 December, this special connection radiates throughout the city. The Festival of Lights is an international event renowned for its temporary light installations during which the city is metamorphosed for four magical evenings, reconnecting with a popular tradition dating back to 1852. That year, against a backdrop of social unrest, recurring floods and radical urban change, the decision was taken to erect a statue of the Virgin Mary on Fourvière Hill.
The inauguration was scheduled for 8 September, the date of the traditional procession of Aldermen, but flooding delayed delivery of the statue. The event was therefore postponed to 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. But once again, official ceremonies had to be abandoned due to inclement weather. Seeing the weather improve as night fell, the people of Lyon spontaneously placed lit candles on their window sills and balconies; a symbol of the people coming together in a spirit of solidarity. The tradition of 8 December continued over the following decades and the citizens of Lyon are now very attached to this popular annual event.
https://youtu.be/QmSFN_HMn4Y?si=FfkGIljarS2e_mc0
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