Profanation of Church in Provins during Festival
During the medieval festival Médiévales, held on 14–15 June 2025, the Collégiale Saint-Quiriace in Provins was desecrated. This Gothic collegiate church, which is a historic landmark in the Diocese of Meaux, was open to both pilgrims and festival exhibitors. However, several stalls displayed occult and neo-pagan items, including books on Satanism, inside the sacred space. Witnesses also reported seeing a shirtless man dressed as a satyr, wearing horns, parading through the nave, alongside erotic imagery placed among the church’s pillars. The local bishop denounced this violation of the church's spiritual dignity.
Church authorities, including Bishop Jean-Yves Nahmias and Auxiliary Bishop Guillaume de Lisle of Meaux, have expressed profound sorrow and solidarity with those wounded in their faith. "The sacred character of this place dedicated to prayer and recollection was seriously flouted. Inappropriate behavior, both on the part of certain visitors and exhibitors, has violated the spiritual dignity of the collegiate church, whose parish priest is a recipient", they wrote in a statement and emphasised that the church’s sacred character, intended for prayer and solemnity, was profoundly violated by these displays and actions.
In response, a special Mass of Reparation took place on Sunday, June 22, presided over by Bishop de Lisle and attended by the entire missionary clergy in Provins. The celebration aims to restore spiritual reverence and invite both believers and non-believers to unite in prayer, seeking peace and forgiveness.
The incident has sparked widespread concern, prompting church leaders to remind citizens that sacred spaces must not be treated as stages for provocative performances.
Source: Famille chrétienne, Tribune Chrétienne LECATHO le Salon Beige
Image: Wikimedia Commons