City of Rheims

Champagne-Ardenne, France

Thursday 3rd July 2014

Reims a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies 129 km east-north east of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire. Reims played a prominent ceremonial role in French monarchical history as the traditional site of the crowning of the kings of France. The Cathedral of Reims (damaged by the Germans during the First World War but restored since) played the same role in France as Westminster Abbey has in the United Kingdom. It housed the Holy Ampulla (Sainte Ampoule) containing the Saint Chrême (chrism), allegedly brought by a white dove (the Holy Spirit) at the baptism of Clovis in 496. It was used for the anointing, the most important part of the coronation of French kings. Some sources regard Reims as the de facto capital of the province of Champagne because it is the most populous city in the region.