Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Marseille Unveils Restored ‘Bonne Mère’ With Mass, Procession and Sound-and-Light Show

Grassroots funding of the €2.8 million restoration now positions the basilica for formal heritage protection.

Overview

  • Thousands gathered on December 7 for a mass at Saint‑Victor, a candlelit procession to Notre‑Dame de la Garde, and an evening inauguration.
  • Michaël Canitrot staged the 360‑degree ‘Élévation’ sound‑and‑light show, including a contemporary Ave Maria performed by soprano Melody Louledjian.
  • The project’s budget totaled about €2.8 million, with roughly 40,000 donors contributing around €1.5 million and overall fundraising reported as surpassing €3 million.
  • Conservation involved tens of thousands of hand‑applied gold leaves, months of work behind a 50–52‑ton scaffold, and the 150‑kg crown reinstalled by helicopter in October.
  • Officials expect a rapid proposal for Monument historique listing, with a second phase next year to improve reception for the site’s more than two million annual visitors.