The following interview appeared at France Catholique on June 12, 2023. The crime referred to is the horrible recent scene in Annecy in which a Syrian refugee began to stab small children in a park, nearly killing four. Henri confronted him and stopped him with the only “weapon” he had—his backpack. He is being celebrated throughout France for his courageous intervention. And turns out he’s a “tradi” who had just come off the Chartres pilgrimage.
Henri, the “hero with the rucksack,” is back on the road to the cathedrals after his visit to Annecy, where he put an attacker on the banks of the lake to flight. He wants to return to being a humble pilgrim with a message for young people.
FC: What’s your state of mind?
Henri: I’m looking forward to getting back into the spirit of adventure, with a more or less determined program. After a visit to Hautecombe Abbey on the shores of Lac du Bourget, where the Dukes of Savoy are buried, I’ll visit Belley Cathedral in the Ain region, then head for Burgundy to see the cathedrals of Autun and Dijon, and on to Belfort and Strasbourg. Cathedrals open us up to what lies beyond us, to what is great and beautiful. They are eternal stones! During my trip to the south of France, I was deeply moved to discover the paleo-Christian cathedrals of Grasse and Antibes, where 1,500 years ago people shared the same faith as we do. I try to convey the fervor that can be felt through the memory of these places.
Do you have a favorite place to pray in a cathedral?
Yes, I always sit near the narthex under the organ on the pews at the back of the cathedral. It allows me to fully appreciate the beauty of these buildings. I’m a Gothic art fanatic, and I was delighted to discover the religious heritage of the south of France, but I know I’m going to love all the cathedrals in the north of our beautiful country.
Looking back, how do you feel about your presence at the scene of the attack in Annecy?
I’m more and more convinced that it wasn’t by chance. God wanted me to be there, in the right place, at the right time, as if by remote control. Several clues lead me to believe that I was in the hands of Providence. I shouldn’t [according to plan] have stopped in Annecy. I stayed there for a day and a half. Afterwards, I strolled along the lake, then sat on a bench. Why did I do that? I don’t know... Just as I can’t explain why I took the right-hand path rather than the left. For me, the appalling attack carries a very symbolic message: a Syrian asylum seeker descending into madness and beating children, and a Catholic pilgrim taking action. I pray that all politicians will learn from this.
Where did you find the strength to act? In your faith and Christian upbringing?
Faith is something mysterious that I received at baptism and I grew up in the Catholic melting pot, but my family roots are very important. On my father’s side, I’m lucky enough to come from a family with a strong military commitment to the service of France, and on my mother’s side, I’m from a noble country family, with a grandfather who is still mayor of a commune. My grandfather always told me: “The most beautiful lordship is the lordship of oneself.” Scouting nourished me with the chivalric ideal, and my family irrigated me with the history of France.
How do you pray?
I praise God on my way to the cathedrals, and I love to sing. I’m also very attached to the Rosary. Taking the time to say “I love you” to the Virgin Mary 150 times means you love her even more. It isn't just a "Bye, Mom!" that a child says as he's off to school; it’s more a question of spending time with her, so as to give her real attention.
What are your favorite saints and readings?
My favorite saints are the four French knights of course! Saint Louis, Saint Henri, Saint Joan of Arc and the archangel Saint Michael. As for books, I like Jean Raspail and Antoine de Saint Exupéry, with a preference for Terre des hommes.
Do you feel you’ve become a role model for committed Christians?
No, I’m not a role model, but I’m sure I belong to a generation of young people who are not on the verge of extinction. Quite the contrary, in fact! The young people I saw at the Chartres pilgrimage will be returning to the country. In 1980 at Le Bourget, Saint John Paul II proclaimed: “France, what have you done with your baptismal promises?” These young people are answering him in two ways, and I’m trying to bear humble witness to them: it’s time to raise our heads, to turn them towards greatness, and to stop putting up with it; and, finally, it’s urgent to tell the world that we’re going to fight for Christ. Since the tragedy in Annecy, I don’t feel invested with a mission, but I do know that I have to get a message across: from the moment we open ourselves to great and beautiful things, the soul acts and endures.
