The Eucharistic Miracle of Avignon

MIRACOLI—francea11emagne 12/05/06 14 : 24 Page 6 On November 30, 1433 a small church run by the Gray Penitents of the Franciscan Order was exposing a consecrated Host for Perpetual Adoration. After days of rain the rivers swelled, and surprisingly, Avignon was submerged. By boat, two friars of the Order succeeded in reaching the church where the Holy Sacrament had been left for the church, they saw that the waters were divided to the right and to the left, leaving the altar and the Sacrament perfectly dry, home of the Gray Penitents of the Franci- scan Order, whose founding goes back to the times of pious King Louis VIII.

At the time of this miracle, Avignon was considered the center of Christendom, and the city's "Palais des P apes" was home to a series of seven popes. After several days of heavy rain, the Sorgue and Rhone Rivers rose steadily and reached a dangerous height. Fi- nally, on November 30, 1433, Avignon, was flo- Oded.

The friars were certain that their little church, which stood along the Sorgue, had been destroyed by the raging waters. Fearing that the Blessed Sacrament, which was exposed for Perpe- tual Adoration, had been swept away, the head of the Order and another friar rowed to the church. Getting there was diffcult, but when they finally arrived they found a miracle.

Although water MDW/"' FRANCE, 1433 VONV)ATF.tJR VIII POI 1)1. IL I.V i-E AVIGNON EN 'Jl.s Ancient engraving of the miracle of Avignon Ilisioire de la Cité Chapelle des Pénitents Cris Aprés le sibge d'Avignon en 1226, le roi de France Louis VI est venu faire ses dévotions au vieii oratoire de Sainte-Croix II est reconnu pour avoir fondé cette occasion la Royale e chapelle sur ce lieu mémorable. Cette pieuse confrérie, née en contre-pied de Ilhérésie albigeoise, s'était donné pour mission lladoration perpétuelle du Saint-Sacrement, exposé en permanence dans le sanctuaire.

Elle poursuit aujourdihui encore ce væu plusieurs fois centenaire. La chapelle, dont les différents éléments s'échelonnent du XVe au XIXe siöcle, est deplan irrégulier. Le 30 novem- bre' les confréres commémorent le miracle de la Séparation des eaux : ce méme jour de 1433, lors d'une fameuse inonda- tion du Rhöne, les eaux se seraient écartées dans la nef pour permettre le passage du Saint- Sacrement.

altar was perfectly dry. was unscathed. The pathway from the entrance to the altar called to mind the parting of the Red Sea in the time of Moses, for all along the sides of the church, water steadily rose, but the pathway remained completely dry. Amazed by what they were seeing, the friars had others from their Order come to the church to verify the miracle.

Elhe news spread rapidly, and many people, inclu- ding those in authority, came to the Church, singing songs of praise and of thanks to the Lord. Several hundred people witnessed this miracle. Later on, the Gray Penitents determi- ned that the anniversary of the miracle would be celebrated in the church every year on the Chapelle des Pénitents Gris to celebrate the memory of the miracle.

Before the blessing of the Holy Sacra- ment, the brothers perform a sacred chant taken from the Canticle of Moses, which was composed after the parting of the Red Sea: "I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant... At a breath of your anger the waters piled up, the flowing waters stood like a mound, the flood waters congealed in the midst of the sea... In your mercy you led the people you redeemed; in your strength you guided them to your holy dwelling.

" (Exodus 15, 1-18). MIRACLES—France Germany panels 11/02/08 10 : 33 Page 7 Lexus s came FRANCE, 1433 •on-royo. .E.ej.