Hundreds of people gathered inside Paris' Notre Dame cathedral for a service to honour the victims of the spate of attacks around the city. But a false alarm had people running for their lives not far from the Cathedral and shortly after the memorial began.
A scene of panic unfolded at the iconic Place de la Republique, where people were gathered for a candle-lit vigil.
Not long after bells were rung for the official memorial service, the Place de la Republique became a a scene of chaos.
A rumour had quickly spread that gunshots had been heard.
It was a false alarm but BBC reporter Tim Willcox, who was at the scene, says it underlines the tension and fear in the city just 48 hours after the attacks.
"Such is the nervousness here in Paris at the moment that people immediately began to run. They were running over the candles, over the cards and over the bouquets trying to get away from Place de la Republique, fearing a repeat of what had happened on Friday night."
In the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral, religious leaders and members of the public prayed for peace and dedicated thoughts and prayers to the victims.
"Paris has lived one of the most critical periods of its history. It's a dramatic episode. Men, women were executed with savagery and anonymously, so much so that nothing could predict these people from the others who would be targeted."
Outside the Bataclan Centre, the concert hall where most of the deaths occurred, another vigil was taking place.
A group of Rabbis and Imams came to stand in solidarity and pay their respects.
Rabbi Levi Matusof explained why unity is so critical.
"These acts of terror are done in the name of Islam and they came to say that is not what Islam is about, that is not what religion is really about. And this is why it is important we are here together as what we are really. We are endeavouring together towards light, towards brightening, towards shining to make this world a better place."
The violence in Paris has immediately turned the spotlight on France's approximately five million Muslims.
Muslim community leaders promptly denounced the massacre and politicians clearly blamed the self-proclaimed Islamic State movement for the violence.
But many Muslims think they will become the victims of a backlash following the attacks.
A man named Soufiane says the attacks have soiled Muslims and Islam.
"They tarnish Islam, they don't even think of their families, these guys. His whole family is in police custody. Did he think that his whole family would be there for four days, maybe going to jail? He tarnished his family, he tarnished Muslims, he tarnished our community, he tarnished everyone. This is obvious."
