A hero from Annecy, a pilgrim on the way of the cathedrals of France

In the summertime of 2023 it was loud about a young Frenchman who "armed" in a backpack opposed an muslim knifeman attacking children in a playground in Annecy. A 31-year-old Syrian Abdalmasih H. was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and a 24-year-old media call out a hero. It shortly became apparent that this hero, Henri d’Anselme, was at the scene of the attack on the occasion of his pilgrimage to the cathedrals of France. In this way, he fulfilled his childhood dream. “On the way” he conducted his online broadcasts. The relation with Annecy became a hit on social media.

Henri was on the shore of Lake Annecy on 8 June 2023, where he saw an assassin attacking children with a knife. An interview with the weekly “Famille Chrétienne” asked him: “Do you think there is simply a form of Providence that could have worked and made you there at that moment?” He replied that he was a practicing Catholic and did not hide the fact that he "believes not in cases but in Providence." – I am convinced that we are simply tools in the hands of the good Lord. I just did what I thought was right at the time. – said the young Frenchman. He added that seeing the knife attack had 3 options: escape (which later was considered the best and rational result by police officers), further filming of the scene (eventual proof) and reacting to "the knife and the bigger and stronger man". Henri said that "at this point 2 paintings came to his mind: Saint Michael and Arnaud Beltrame". Archangel Michael as a patron of action does not surprise. Beltrame is simply a Lieutenant-Colonel of the French National Police from Aude, murdered during the Carcassonne bombing after he switched for a hostage held by a terrorist. – They didn't leave me for six minutes, during which the action continued. added Henri.

Later came media fame. –I worked in the media a small and knew the dynamics of the media world. At first, I did not want to enter specified a game, (...), but above all, I was in the process of visiting the cathedrals and I just wanted to stay an anonymous pilgrim. On the day of the attack my telephone rang all 30 seconds He mentioned it. BFM tv squad found the hero by geolocating his telephone and it started... Henri does not like the word "hero with backpack". He says he has acted like “every Frenchman should do”. A fewer days later he met Bishop Annecy, who told him: –Thank you for doing this. I don't think you're a hero, I think you did your work as a Christian, so just thank you.. It is worth noting that Henri was a scout, he was besides raised in the cult of “all large holy knights”, from “holy George, my patron, Saint Louis and Saint Joan of Arc, to Saint Michael” – as he himself admitted.

In a long interview with “Famille” it is besides asked whether “the cathedral in Annecy was worth the detour?” – It is not 1 of the most beautiful in France – with laughter Henri spoke and mentioned that his decision to pilgrimage to the temples had respective stages. From his childhood decision to the fire of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. – When we experienced the fire, we all realized that we had to take care of our legacy. On the evening of the fire of Notre-Dame de Paris, I felt that it was urgent to pay tribute to our cathedrals – explained his motives. Of the 180 specified temples, over 130 visited by Henri d’Anselme in 9 months. presently it has already been “accompanied” 154 cathedrals and has “hope to return to the route”. He claims that his fascination is with the very thought of creating these glorious places of God’s worship. Here is simply a group of people who decide on immense investment costs, realizes that at the time the construction rate, which sometimes lasted 150 years, will never see the final work, and yet "plans long-term and wants to leave us a gift that is in fact the work of civilization."

Henri recalled that in the Tabernacle of each temple God himself lives in the form of the Blessed Sacrament. Young French people besides point to the medieval rule of certain equality, erstwhile they all entered the cathedral the same door, from the king to the average people. – What unites us as a nation, a country, a civilization is equal to dignity before God, and the cathedral embodies it – he described his fascination with a Catholic weekly interviewer. He added that “the cathedral is simply a landmark in space and time, embodying all the dimensions of the nation and region. Whether it is seen as a historical, architectural, artistic or spiritual heritage.”

Henri explains that the pilgrimage after the cathedrals changed his life. After crossing France along and across, he stated that this country "is wonderful, but has difficulty loving itself." – We have everything we can be arrogant of. But we no longer know how to look up, due to the fact that we no longer know how to look in the same direction, we no longer know where to direct our energy – he noted.

The pilgrim was besides asked about his “ranking” of French cathedrals? On the podium he placed the church of Saint Cécile d’Albi, Notre-Dame de Strasbourg and Saint Étienne de Bourges. The cathedral in Albi due to the fact that it surprises the visitor and the arrivals do not anticipate what they see there. Strasbourg – "the most extravagant goth he has seen" and Bourges, due to "cisterian poorness in the Gothic majesty", or "sophisticated modesty".

When asked about the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, Henri d’Anselme stressed that the beginning date on 8 December 2024 was the feast of the Immaculate Conception. He besides pointed to the “wigilla 2025” which would close the 4th century of the 21st century. He recalled that “it takes a 4th of a century to truly full enter into the century.” There is simply a further quote from André Malraux, who announced that "the 16th century will be spiritual or will not be at all," and the reflection that "even present we are able to build cathedrals and are inactive able to make beauty." In the end, “all of us are able to find ourselves around the founding events, specified as the reopening of the cathedral, which goes beyond any political, earthly, economic, etc. (...), due to the fact that it is something eternal, and the reopening of Notre-Dame is simply a call to unite around the greatness of its ideas.”

D’Anselme may not be the typical of France as we know from everyday media reports, but it is worth remembering that specified a “other” country besides exists and there is inactive hope for him...

Bogdan Dobosh
Source: Famille Chrétienne