Sunday, the 1st day of the festival.
At dawn they began their chimes again, not only throughout the city, but also in the neighborhood, in order to excite the piety of the faithful with happiness. At 7 o’clock the Mutte rang: it is one of the beautiful and precious bells in the world, whose majesty is only shone by the united force of 24 men, which never announces anything but things of consequence and public. It was heard on several occasions, especially at the beginning and during the general procession which took place at 9 o’clock. The Vicars and Curés, the Gentlemen of the Collegiate Church of Saint Thiebault, followed by the Gentlemen of the Collegiate Church of Saint-Sauveur, the Gentlemen of the Chapter, and dignitaries of the distinguished Cathedral, were led and animated by their worthy head and Prelate who presided in Pontifical vestments, with a gravity that inspired respect and devotion to all the people, whose crowd was in confusion, having in mind the gentlemen of the Parliament, the Bailiwick and the body of the city. Two beautiful standards had been prepared early on, which represented the reported victories of St. Francis de Sales; over death, by a resurrection, and over hell by its triumph over heretics; one was intended for the cathedral, where it is exposed, and the other for the church of the Nuns, where it is also erected. This was carried in the morning to the cathedral, to be carried afterwards during the general procession. The Reverend Minim Fathers had prepared themselves for this honor, which the nuns had wished to bestow upon them, in recognition of the benefits and spiritual graces they received from it, either for their Masses or for confessions; but the gentlemen of the Cathedral, not having been able to tolerate any mixture among themselves or among the clergy, gave this glorious commission to one of their officers, who acquitted it worthily. The cannons of the citadel and the ramparts of the city saluted the standard, as it left the Cathedral, with a number of discharges, which increased the joy of this festival.
At the entrance of the procession into the church of the Visitation, the great standard was raised at the top of the dome flush with the vault, so that it might be seen by everyone, without harming the altar, whose brilliance it in no way hides from the sight of the people. Immediately the Bishop intoned the Te Deum, which was followed very melodiously and devoutly by the music. Then the Archdeacons and dignitaries of the Cathedral dressed to officiate at the High Mass, which was celebrated pontifically by our worthy Prelate. Then his gentlemen returned in procession, all glorious in the standard that was offered to them on their departure, as a monument of the gratitude of the Community. They received him affectionately and united him to their cross, to show that they all placed themselves under the protection of Saint Francis de Sales.
The vestments of this day at the three Altars were of white satin embroidered with gold and pearls, with silk bouquets perfectly well worked in nature. There were oval gold palms for design, which richly surrounded the silk bouquets; in the middle of the front of the altars was a large cross, from which came four bouquets of flowers stretching out to the four ends of the corners, and between each bouquet large rays of gold. The chasuble, extremely rich, was of the same embroidery, as was the rest of the ornament, which was then used for the first time, and only at the solemn mass. For the other masses, there were three chasubles of white satin, one in embroidery, and the other two trimmed with a large lace with gold trimmings. The copes are unique in white damask, with gold cloth trimmings with silver foliage, which marked, by the arms of Monseigneur, the liberality of his Excellency, who made a present of them to the Cathedral; and the canons had the goodness to lend them to the Visitation for the service of the whole Octave.
The solemn Mass having ended with great magnificence and majesty, the Bishop, dressed in his pontifical vestments, received an abjuration of heresy, which increases the pomp and joy of the solemnity, as well as the accidental glory of St. Francis de Sales, who may be called the great triumphant of heresy, both after his death and during his life. This great Saint, after having fought it so bravely, and so happily struck it down in his diocese by the conversion of more than 70,000 souls, still fights it just as victoriously, though less sensibly, by the salutary light which he obtains from God to an infinity of poor blind people, to rescue them from the darkness of death, which made it piously believed that his intercession obtained the salvation of this new convert. who, perhaps, without the graces which God had attached to this solemnity, would have been miserably lost.
Vespers and Compline were solemnly sung to music like the High Mass, as well as the blessing of the Blessed Sacrament with which the Bishop ended this beautiful devotion. It was preceded by several beautiful motets sung by three hearts: the organ was the first; trumpets, oboes, and other instruments made the second, and the music the third; all with a melody so sweet and agreeable, that the many devotees of the Saint withdrew fully satisfied and filled with consolation, having never seen anything so solemn, nor heard anything so melodious.
Our great Prelate, who had done the honors of fame, as far as these ceremonies were concerned, made them even more glorified by his eloquence; counting for nothing the fatigues he had undergone in the procession, at the high mass, and in the other exercises of piety of that day, mounted, filled with zeal full of fire, into the pulpit of truth, to make the opening of the panegyrics of the great Bishop of Geneva at the end of vespers. He opened his discourse with these beautiful words of the prophet: Zelus domus tuae comedit me. This worthy Prelate gave rise to his fervor by exalting the zeal of St. Francis de Sales, showing that as the zeal and love of this Saint for the salvation of souls had been the principal character of his life, they should also be the subject of his eulogy. He divided it into two parts, in which, after having subtly deduced the beautiful fire with which St. Francis de Sales has always burned for so noble a subject, he particularly stopped to show the effects pointed out by which it has chiefly burst forth with ardor. What he did to win souls to Jesus Christ in the time of his priesthood composed his first part; in the second, he showed his great conflagrations in the time of his episcopate. Never was so just a design proved with more force, treated with more doctrine, enunciated with more ardent and stirring expressions, accompanied by gestures better expressed, nor adorned with a more majestic and apostolic elegance. His Excellency seemed so inflamed that he not only gave an idea of the zeal of St. Francis de Sales, but seemed a faithful expression of it, whose sparks penetrated secretly, and sensibly set all hearts ablaze.