When WWI began in 1914, Catholic priests were virtual pariahs in France. This was the result of a trend towards anti-clericalism that began with the French Revolution and continued in fits and starts into the 20th century. Prior to WWI, to further eliminate perceived privilege, France’s Third Republic made priests eligible for military service. Ironically though, this attempt to erase them as a distinct social class provided French priests the opportunity to be seen as patriots. Tens of thousands of priests served in the French Army during WWI – alongside nearly 2/3’s of France’s male population. To explore this novel chapter in WWI history, the World War I podcast was joined by Dr. Anita Rasi May, author of Patriot Priests: French Catholic Clergy and National Identity in World War I.
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