The bells tolled at Rouen's ancient cathedral, but more tourists than worshippers come. This is modern secular France. And the influence of the Catholic Church is waning, which is why the July killing by two jihadists of an elderly priest – Father Jacques Hamel was almost impossible to comprehend.
伴随着Rouen天主教堂隆隆的钟声而来的更多的是观光客而非信徒。在现代世俗化的法国,天主教会的影响力日渐式微。这也让7月份两名伊斯兰圣战分子杀害年事已高的Jacques Hamel神父的事件变得让人不可理解。
A painting of Hamel by a Muslim artist at the cathedral symbolizes the will of Muslims and Christians to coexist.
放置在教堂中的一副由穆斯林艺术家创作的Hamel神父的肖像画象征了穆斯林和基督徒友好共存的愿望。
In nearby St. Etienne du Rouvray, where Hamel was killed, this is Sunday Mass at one of his parishes.
这就是位于Hamel神父所掌管的教区之一的,位于St. Etienne Du Rouvray附近的礼拜日弥撒。
A shrinking and aging congregation, a church in disrepair. Years ago, as a sign of good will, the church gave some of its land for a mosque next door.
参与的信徒人数越来越少,大部分都是老年人。教堂也破败不堪。多年前教堂将其所有的一块临近的土地赠与穆斯林,人们后来在这里建设了一座清真寺。
"There were people who found it a bit bizarre because the land was given to them for one franc at the time. It was symbolic, that was all.
"这件事引起了很多人的争议,因为当时土地转让的价格仅仅为1法郎。象征性的标价,仅此而已。
They gave the land. There were people who said, ‘Oh, now we're going to have that mosque and there will be all these Arabs here.'That was the thinking for sure."
教会转让了土地,随后有人开始抱怨,"现在好了,大批的阿拉伯人将会因为这座清真寺来到这儿。"当时的确不少人这么想。"
The mosque has thrived. At Friday prayers, an overflow crowd sits outdoors. Leaders of both communities are proud of this gate between the church and the mosque.
这座清真寺"香火鼎盛"。每逢礼拜五祈祷日这里都人满为患,信徒们甚至不得不坐到寺庙外。不论是天主教会还是伊斯兰教会的领袖都为这道连通教堂和清真寺的门感到自豪。
It serves as a vent for concerns, a passage from anxiety to understanding. After Father Hamel's killing, Catholics invited Muslims to Mass and Muslims invited Catholics to Friday prayers.
这道门象征了双方互相体谅,由针对彼此的不安到逐渐理解对方立场的转变。在Hamel神父被杀后,天主教徒门邀请穆斯林参加主日弥撒,同时穆斯林也邀请天主教徒参与礼拜五祈祷。
But in recent years the common bond in religion to tackle problems has become at times a wedge.
近些年来,作为缓解矛盾的手段,宗教层面的往来和联结有时却制造了更多的对立。
"In the community before religious matters were not touched, rather we talked about brotherhood. In the 1980s we talked about racist and economic issues, things like that.
"以前这个社区的人们从不讨论宗教话题,人们谈论更多的是"兄弟般的友谊"。上世纪80年代人们关注的焦点是种族歧视以及经济方面的问题。
It is true that religious issues came into the conversation at the time of the Gulf War. It was then one felt people became more interested in religion."
直到海湾战争爆发,人们才逐渐开始讨论宗教,对宗教问题越来越感兴趣。"
There is concern that fears over differences could be eroding the good willand giving rise to right-wing anti-immigrant sentiment.
人们担忧对(宗教信仰,文化等等方面)"不同"的恐惧将会吞噬此前的种种努力,同时加剧右翼反移民情绪。
"The anxiety with which we are living with inevitably every day is because we are entering in France a period of preparation for the presidential elections.
"进入了(法国)总统大选期间后,我们每天都无可避免地感到忧虑。
The debates are not always, let's say, they are not always peaceful. The invective, the topics are very violent and could injure communities."
竞选辩论的议题不总是那么"温和"。竞选期间充斥了谩骂和"暴力"言论,这些言论将会伤害社区。"
In Rouen, those tensions are largely kept quiet.
Rouen地区大体上还没有出现紧张的对立情绪。
Local officials of the right-wing National Front National declined comment. But since the attacks, the party's numbers have gone up in the polls.
本地的法国国民阵线党人士拒绝(针对袭击神父事件)发表评论。自袭击事件发生后,该党在民调中的支持率呈现上升态势。
At the church where Father Hamel was killed, some are troubled by the quiet.
一些在Hamel神父遇袭的教堂(接受采访)的人表示对这种静默感到担忧。
A commitment to secularism more than Catholicism binds France today. A light show at Rouen's cathedral draws the city's residents.
世俗化而不是天主教化的倾向凝聚了今天的法国。一场在Rouen的天主教堂举行的灯光秀吸引了当地的居民。
The challenge for them is how to bridge the differences with a growing minority and keep good will and secularism alive.
对于他们来说,(真正的)挑战在于如何减少与人数逐渐增加的少数族裔之间的矛盾与分歧以及坚守包容和世俗化(的社会价值)。