Is it just me or does the very air around Notre-Dame de la Délivrance seem to vibrate with untold stories? Right here we’re standing before a place that’s more than just stones and mortar. It’s a vessel of faith. It’s a landmark in Lille. Let’s step back in time and understand this place.
Notre-Dame de la Délivrance began its journey as a humble chapel. People wanted a large church in the heart of the city. This was after the Collegiate Church of St Peter was destroyed. That church housed the statue of Our Lady of the Treille for over six centuries. The project was driven by clergy and lay members. They aimed to create an episcopal see in Lille. At the time Lille belonged to the Archdiocese of Cambrai. Establishing a religious capital was essential. It would serve the growing population during the Industrial Revolution. So the building was destined to be a cathedral from the start.
Construction began in 1854. A foundation stone was laid. An international competition was held. Architects were asked to design a Gothic-style building from the early 13th century. Of 41 submissions the first two prizes went to English projects. But some people objected. They didn’t want a church for the Virgin built by foreign Anglican architects. So Lille architect Charles Leroy took over the project.
Raising funds proved difficult. Notre-Dame de la Délivrance was built in stages. Several generations of architects worked on it from 1856 to 1975. It was finally completed in 1999. A modern facade was installed. Pierre-Louis Carlier and engineer Peter Rice designed it. Parts of the original plan had to be abandoned.
Pope Pius IX granted a decree of pontifical coronation. This was for the Marian statue inside Notre-Dame de la Délivrance. The Archbishop of Cambrai performed the coronation. He was a papal legate. This happened on June 21 1874. Originally a simple church Pope Pius X gave it the title of minor basilica. That was on October 7 1904.
On October 25 1913 Pope Pius X split the Archdiocese of Cambrai. He created the diocese of Lille. The basilica became its new cathedral. In 2008 the diocese of Lille became a metropolis. This followed a reorganization of French ecclesiastical provinces. The cathedral became a metropolitan cathedral. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Lille.
Notre-Dame de la Délivrance gets its name from a statue of the Virgin Mary. It’s known as Our Lady of the Treille. The statue was kept at the Collegiate Church of St Peter. This was from the early 13th century. Since then it has been an object of devotion. Charles Bernard a parish priest described the statue. It is a stone statue a little over two and a half feet high. She holds a scepter and supports the baby Jesus.
Bernard mentioned a trellis of gilded wood around the statue. He said an old trellis of gilded iron was lost in 1792. This happened during the destruction of St Peter’s Church. He thought the trellis gave the statue its name. But the name likely came from Treola. Treola was a place near Lille in the 9th century.
Three series of miracles are linked to the statue. These occurred in 1254 1519-1527 and 1634-1638. The 1254 miracle involved healing patients. The 16th-century miracles were diverse. They included deliverance from possession and healing from various ailments. In 1254 a confraternity of Our Lady of the Treille was established. Since 1259 an annual procession honored Our Lady. This continued until the French Revolution. In 1634 the mayor of Lille consecrated the city to Our Lady. In 1667 Louis XIV swore to respect Lille’s freedoms before the statue.
After the destruction of St Peter’s Church the statue was largely forgotten. A sexton bought it. He placed it in St Catherine’s Church between 1797 and 1802. In 1842 Charles Bernard restored the cult of Our Lady of the Treille. He started the month of Mary patron saint of Lille. He had the statue placed in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin. The secular jubilee of the first miracles was celebrated in 1854. This was a key step in restoring the cult.
The unexpected acquisition of land allowed the foundation stone to be laid. This happened before the end of the jubilee celebration. The story of Notre-Dame de la Délivrance isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about faith perseverance and the enduring spirit of Lille. Take a moment to appreciate the long road that it took for this magnificent cathedral to be erected.