A vigil honoring the saints of France took place at the **Stade de France** on September 25, drawing attention and criticism for its perceived alignment with a para-nationalist form of Catholicism. Historian Paul Airiau noted that this event reflects a reconnection of French Catholicism with its "believing memory." The vigil was described as spectacular, featuring a procession of relics and banners, and sparked debate about its implications for national identity and the Church's historical narrative. The event has been interpreted by some as a response to the Parisian opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, suggesting a symbolic counter-narrative. However, Airiau emphasized the significance of the visible contemporary transformation in the relationship with saints and history. The cult of relics has evolved since the early Christian era, with relics being seen as charged with sacred power and capable of acting on behalf of the saints. This has historically attracted the faithful and contributed to the prosperity of monasteries and elites. In the modern era, the clergy has redefined the role of relics, emphasizing the intercession of saints as benevolent patrons and intermediaries with God. This has led to the valorization of local saints, patron saints, and parish saints, fostering specific links with communities and marking diocesan calendars. Over time, the focus has shifted towards national saints, with the liturgical Romanization overshadowing diocesan cults and favoring Roman saints. The contemporary reconnection with the cult of saints and relics has been described as modest, national, and globalized, partially reinvigorating the sacred effectiveness and bodily investment largely monopolized by Lourdes and charisma. The vigil at Saint-Denis was seen as contemporary in its will to reconnect a chain of times, emphasizing national identity while carefully selecting figures and periods. This event also highlighted the complex relationship between French Catholicism and its history, entangling a nostalgic minority situation with the assumption of the primacy of the religious and the exaltation of diocesan realities. The history of the Church in the formation of the clergy has a very limited place, with a focus primarily on apologetic-pastoral aspects and the patristic period. The vigil at the **Stade de France**, while not historically definitive, was noted as the largest gathering of relics in France, highlighting the ongoing cultural and historical debates surrounding the role of Catholicism in national identity.