Avoyelles -- and France -- cancel Bastille Day events

This Tuesday, July 14, marks the 231st anniversary of the "storming of the Bastille" in 1789, an event generally credited with beginning the French Revolution that toppled King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette.

In this country, Bastille Day is Franco-Americans' version of the Irish's St. Patrick's Day, the Italians' Columbus Day and the Mexicans' Cinco de Mayo -- a cultural pride celebration.

The day was marked by French colonists and their descendants in Avoyelles Parish in the 1800s and early 1900s. That tradition was revived several years ago with activities in the Fox Theater.

COVID-19 has squelched those celebrations -- not only here in Avoyelles, but in France as well.

The Bastille Day Military Parade, held on the Champs-Elysees annually since World War I, has been canceled. However, there will be a by-invitation-only event at the Place de la Concorde -- where the parade ends -- to honor health care workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic. French officials said the event could be opened to the public if the health situation improve -- but that seemed doubtful earlier this week.

The parade starts at the Arc de Triomphe, built under Napoleon's rule to honor French soldiers. It ends at Place de la Concorde, where the French royalty were executed by the guillotine.

This year's ceremony will feature 2,000 participants and 2,500 invited guests. Strict social distancing protocols will be observed as France continues to halt the spread of a disease that has killed 29,000 of its citizens.

The annual fly by of military jets, streaming blue, white and red smoke trails, will take place to honor medical personnel and others who have mobilized to fight COVID-19.

As Avoyelleans of French descent pause to celebrate their culture and the brave colonists who left France to cross an ocean to carve out a life in a strange land, we may also want to follow France's example and include prayers and praise for the anti-COVID "soldiers" in our community.