This is one of France’s most spectacular sites. Mont St. Michel lies one kilometer out to sea off the Normandy coast of northern France. This Benedictine Abbey is perched on a rocky inlet. The tides move over 45 feet throughout a 24-hour period. Today it felt like we literally climbed halfway to heaven with all the stairs! Boy, was it worth the journey.
The miraculous story of this magnificent edifice begins in the year 708. St Michael the Archangel appears to St. Aubert, then-bishop of Avranches in three dreams, asking three times that a chapel be built in his honor.
It was revealed that St. Michael touched his head to make his point, stating that it was time to build the chapel.
It was discovered after the bishop’s death years later, that he had 2 holes in his skull where the archangel had touched him. St. Michael can be very persuasive when he wants something done. The chapel is known as the Abbey.
On this 1,000-year celebration of Mont St. Michel, you can read in more detail about how all the components came into being here, I’ll just share more photos.
The architectural brilliance was everywhere from the granite stairs and columns to the magnificent archways. In the photo above this giant wheel was used to bring up supplies from the bottom via a pulley system. One man would stand inside, gerbil style and start walking to both lower and raise necessities.
The granite is not local. The tide rolls in and out leaving something like quicksand. The sticky mud would have been treacherous when hauling thousands of pounds of wood and granite. Then imagine the climb over huge, jagged boulders and the sheer manpower required for years to cut and place granite in exactly the right spot. Over a thousand years later the craftsmanship is still evident and strong. The old saying about, “not building things like they used to,” holds true at Mont St. Michel.
I would of course, recommend coming to Mont St. Michel. My photos simply cannot do it justice. Structurally it blew my mind, and the dedication it took by people who would never see it completed, nor enjoy their work was unselfishly generous. We are grateful for their talents and sacrifices.
St. Michael the Archangel pray for us!
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: “Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.” (Rev 12:7-9)
Do you have a devotion to St. Michael who is revered in Catholic tradition and liturgy as the protector of the Church? I invite you to say the St. Michael prayer often and invoke his help. It is he who fought the fallen angels and will fight for those who honor him.
We must pray for St. Michael to protect our families, and country.
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