Around 2000 Bibles were given away in the French city of Lyon on 5 December, during the first evening of the traditional Festival of Lights.

The Youth With A Mission (YWAM) team, in collaboration with the National Council of Evangelicals of France (CNEF) in the Rhone region, took the streets to distribute Bibles free of charge to passers-by all across the city.

For many of them “it was the first time”, and “were delighted for the excellent contacts they made”, says YWAM Lyon on its Facebook.

“We are surprise at how receptive people were. In Bellecour, for example, many curious Muslims received their first Bible”, points out the organisation.

They are “convinced of the urgent need to offer the Word of God in our country more than ever. Every year, we see the spiritual needs of the new generation, who often have no religious education and are searching”.

14 years, 60,000 Bibles

The initiative began in 2010 and relies on the generosity of Christians to finance the purchase of the Bibles, as well as a large number of volunteers. Last year, 7,000 Bibles were distributed.

“This year, we will pass the mark of 60,000 Bibles donated since the project to distribute Bibles for the Festival of Lights was launched”, say the organisers

The distributions will take place every evening until Sunday 8 December, the main day of the Festival of Lights, when the people of Lyon put lights on their windowsills and go out into the streets to see their city full of lights.

The Lyon festival of lights

The origins of the Fête des Lumière (Festival of Lights) go back to the inauguration of the gilded statue of the Virgin Mary. It was initially scheduled for the 8th of September 1852, but was delayed until the 8th of December when the Saône river broke its banks and flooded the workshop of the sculptor Joseph-Hugues Fabisch.

In 1999, the 8th of December became the Festival of Lights as we know it, now lasting four days and attracting visitors from around the world.