Looking for Mary at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

When I walked into Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral last June, it felt a bit like coming home. I had spent the previous year visiting Shinto temples in Japan, Buddhist temples in Thailand and both Hindu temples and Muslim mosques in Malaysia. Whereas all these places were interesting, the amount I know about these various religions would fill one short paragraph at the most. I always felt on the verge of greatly offending someone by ignorantly doing the wrong thing.



Notre Dame Cathedral's South Façade as seen from across the Seine River.

Notre Dame, on the other hand, is a church for the Catholic religion that's been with me since birth. Finally, I was visiting a place where I knew the rituals like the back of my hand and the stories depicted on the walls and windows without having to refer to a guide book. Okay... small confession... I did have to look at the guide book a little because the imagery is sometimes unclear, but the stories were familiar to me after a lifetime of religious education classes and Sunday mass.

Notre Dame means "Our Lady." Specifically, it refers to Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus. During this time of year leading up to Christmas, I often think of Mary. What must it have been like to travel so far from home while hugely pregnant? What did she think of winging it with accommodations once they got to Bethlehem? Did she look at Joseph and ask, "Seriously? A manger? That's all you could get us?" Or was she patient, kind, and compliant? Perhaps she was thinking, "At this point, I don't care! I am about to pop." At least she and Joseph did not have that whole "what to name the baby" quandary since the Angel Gabriel specifically told her, "You are to give him the name Jesus."

Notre Dame is huge with so much to take in and see. Let's focus on just one theme. This post is in honor of Mary as I show you some of the many ways she is depicted throughout the cathedral. If you like, listen to this recording of "Hail Mary" sung by the Notre Dame choir as you read on.