Abstract
It is true that the nineteenth century is usually perceived as the century of urbanization, modernization and secularization. These phenomena, in truth, represent major features of this period. As the European population doubled, the Industrial Revolution laid down the economic pattern of the modern world. After the French Revolution, the confessional state was seen as being largely dismantled. The numerous technical advancements and scientific discoveries which were made in the nineteenth century inevitably led to an antagonism between religion, the Catholic religion in particular, and science. Thus one of the most delicate points of this century was the agreement between faith and science. This also came about because this period saw, even if it can be seen as contradictory, an important revival of cults and notably the cult of the Virgin Mary. It would be interesting to see why exactly the nineteenth century was viewed as the century of urbanization, modernization, and secularization, and if this viewpoint is well-founded. We will also see if it can be toned down, and if the period can more truly be seen as the century of the Virgin Mary.
