On this date in 1944, the great Charles DeGaulle led a march through the recently-liberated city of Paris, cheered by a

million Parisians. After traveling the Champs-Elyses, DeGaulle–along with

leaders of the French Resistance–concluded the march at the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. There, the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), was sung, louder even than the din of

the joyous fusillade that filled Paris:

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…
for he who is mighty has done great things for me…
He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree…
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.

DeGaulle wrote in his memoirs: “The Magnificat rose. Was it ever sung more ardently?” From

the degradation of appeasement and surrender, France on August 26, 1944,

began to rise again to her historic role a leader and defender of Western

civilization. This anniversary can give us hope that one day France will

stop appeasing Islamo-nazism, and will once more march in the front ranks of

western civilization.