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The Porch of the Mystery of the Second Virtue

by Charles Peguy

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Excerpts chosen and read by Sébastien Thévenet

45 minutes

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     Charles Pierre Péguy, born January 7, 1873 in Orléans and died for France on September 5, 1914 in Villeroy, was a French writer, poet, essayist and reserve officer.  

His work, multiple, includes mysteries of medieval inspiration in free verse and collections of poems in regular verse. He is also an intellectual committed to the social cause, famous in particular for his essay on Money.  The central and incandescent core of all his work resides in a deep Christian faith that is not satisfied with the social conventions of his time.

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     The Porch of the Mystery of the Second Virtue is a eulogy to hope. Gervaise, a woman of the people, speaks and tries to explain to a child how Hope is the most beautiful of virtues and the most dear to God. The interpreter has made a selection of passages from the text to compose a journey through this work which is a real source of youth.

“But hope says God, that's what amazes me.
Myself.
That's amazing.  

Let these poor people see how all this is happening and let them believe that tomorrow will be better.
Let them see how it is today and believe it will be better tomorrow morning.
That is astonishing and it is indeed the greatest marvel of our grace.
And I'm surprised myself. »