The Goddess of Reason supplanted christianity in the cathedral of Notre Dame on 10 November 1792. At this procession through the streets of Paris and conclusion with Reason's fete in the cathedral, the role of the Goddess was taken up by Sophie Momoro, wife of the printer Antoine-Francois Momoro. Sophie sat on the high altar overseeing the revels and pronouncements of and praise of herself and her fellow goddesses Philosophia, Verité, and Liberté. The Goddess Liberté was played by Madamoiselle Maillard (Marie-Thérèse Davoux, 1766-1818), a celebrated opera star, amazonian in stature. She was clad in the colors of the Republic (red white and blue), and a red Phrygian cap which became the hat of Revolutionists. She laid herself out upon an altar for a semi-striptease for the delighted horde. La Maillard was to become the lasting symbol of French militancy. The Cult of Reason spread throughout France, as churches were taken over and the Goddess replacing Jesus. Though religion eventually bounced back, it remains to this very day, you can get spat on and cursed by Parisians if you are caught wearing overt signals of faith, the more so if they are Jewish or Muslim emblems, but any really -- despite that 80% of the country remains Catholic, and there is a much higher percentage of atheists in America than in France. I'm not against defining the separation of church and state as religion is private, nonsecular is public; at least I'm kinda supportive of the idea of not having religious nutters intentionally getting in my face, dancing around me and assuring me I'm going to hell and what not. But the spitting on Jews for wearing a kippa or Muslim women for wearing a hijab, bad form of Fraternity and Liberty to say the least. The new religion had been the inspiration of Pierre Gaspard Chaumette (1763-1794), a leader in the dechristianization of France, as well as a key architect of the Terror. Chaumette was regarded as over-the-top even by his fellow radicals, and yet his influence ran deep. He was a precursor of Friedrich Nietzsche. - Jessica Amanda Salmonson
The Cult of Reason
"Fete de la Raison" enthroned within the cathedral of Notre Dame. This fete was held on 10 November 1792 at the conclusion of the Procession of the Goddess of Reason through the streets of Paris. All symbols of christianity were covered, replaced by emblems of the Cult of Reason. Raison's throne within the cathedral stood before a structure intended to convey a Mountain atop which was a pagan temple to another Goddess, Philosophia (Love of Sophia), before which blazed the Flame of Vérité (Truth, also a Goddess) and busts of ancient philosophers. The ceremony included homage paid to an opera singer dressed in the colors of the Republic (red white and blue), she being yet another Goddess, vis, Liberté. The Cult of Reason spread through France during and after the Revolution. Many churches were banned from use as Christian institutions and the Goddess Reason upraised within, with new liturgy evoking science and philosophy, and sometimes licentious sermons. But it was still just religion and so "Reason" turned out to include the Reign of Terror. - Jessica Amanda Salmonson
