The Atheist's Mass

"The Atheist's Mass" by Honoré de Balzac is a story that illuminates the contrasts between faith and doubt through the eyes of Desplein, a well-known surgeon, and his apprentice, Bianchon. It is set in the Romantic era. The tale follows Horace Bianchon as he tries to understand why Desplein, who is known to not believe in God, goes to mass. The reason, it turns out, relates to Desplein recalling the story of Bourgeat, a poor water carrier who helped him when he was young. Even though Desplein doesn't believe in God, he decides to pay for masses in Bourgeat's name to honor him. The story carefully examines how people find meaning through both personal experiences and moral decisions.