Magic in Lorraine
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Christmas is in the air, and in Lorraine the celebrations are under way.
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Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of Lorraine in north-eastern France. In most cases, Nicholas is shown holding a mitre in the left hand and raising the right in blessing. One of the most beautiful statues can be found at the gate of Saint Nicolas de Port Cathedral.
"The church with its two spires rising high above the Meurthe valley southeast of Nancy is a well known place of pilgrimage," explains Justine Ducastelle from the regional tourist office. The cathedral houses a relic, a finger, from Saint Nicholas.
Every year in December, a procession of lights takes place in the saint's honour. From all over the region, people dressed in festive costumes come to celebrate mass in one of the largest late-gothic churches in France. A procession is also taken out place in the streets and alleyways of Metz as part of the elaborate events that mark Advent.
Glass works
"Popular presents for the holiday season are Christmas decorations from the village of Meisenthal," says Ducastelle. The glass works in Meisenthal became famous during the Art Nouveau period. When it was forced to close in 1969 local people founded a workshop and museum. At this House of Glass the glass making process and how the Christmas decorations are made are explained.
Valerie, a young artist, tells an enchanting story: "Harvest time in 1858 was bitterly cold. There were hardly any nuts or apples. All the children were sad and didn't know how they would decorate their Christmas trees. A glass blower had the idea of making colourful decorations." Since that time Meisenthal has become synonymous for its glass Christmas decorations. Every year about 15,000 prices are made.
The small village of Muzeray, on the other hand, is the place to go for Christmas cribs. About 300 of them from 40 countries around the world are collected there. A small museum opened in 2005 to show the cribs that are made of paper, aluminium, ebony, clay, plaster and bronze. As an extra bonus for visiting the museum, volunteers give their guests homemade biscuits and gluhwein.
DPA
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