The mayor of Verdun banned masses in “honor” to Philippe Pétain

Philippe Pétain “was stricken with national humiliation in 1945 and was therefore, among other things, stripped of his military rank” as marshal, recalled Verdun mayor Samuel Hazard.

“I would like to express to you my profound disgust and anger.” A religious ceremony will be held on Saturday November 15th in honor of Philippe “Pétain and his soldiers” in a church in the city of Verdun (Meuse) was banned by order of the mayor (various left) Samuel Hazard, councilors announced Tuesday, November 11 to AFP.

“I would never accept a mass celebrated in Verdun in honor of Pétain, who incurred national humiliation in 1945 and for whom, among other things, he was stripped of his military rank”explained Samuel Hazard on Facebook, who said he discovered the project on Sunday, confirming initial information from the regional daily Eastern Republic. “Verdun is the city of universality. Pétain is the antithesis of humanity”added the Mayor, who detailed that the association behind the ceremony, “Association for Defenders of the Memory of Marshal Petain” (ADMP), “having received approval from ecclesiastical authorities” in person “Archbishop of Metz”.

ADMP explains on its website that after “many steps were taken by ecclesiastical authority”he had obtained written permission from the vicar apostolic to“organized a mass in honor of Marshal Pétain and his army”at the church of Saint Jean-Baptiste in Verdun. According to the Mayor of Verdun, “The organization wants to take this matter to the state administrative court” to challenge his banning order. When contacted by AFP, ADMP did not immediately respond.