The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-11-13

| A SPANISH LEGEND.-We are asked tt
! believe that in the sixth century the holy
mountain Of Monserrat, in Catalonia, was
frequented by many hernits, and that In
| the eighth castles were built upon it by the
mobiles, chiefly Franks, who were engaged
| in freeing this part of Spain from The
Moors. The famous image of the Virgin il
said to have been hidden, during the strug-
gle, in a cave on Monserrat, by the COVER
nor and bishop of Barcelona, the exact date
| assigned being A. d. 7ls. 1t had been
brought in A. d. so, to Barcelona, by St.
Peter, according to the Abbot Muntadas.
who, unfortunately, was never in Spain.
| but who had been requested by the Vir-
gin during her lifetime to make it, that she
might show her love to the CataIans-o
whom she had never heard. Till A. D. $50
it lay in the cave unknown, but was then
| miraculously revealed, andits worship was
formally installed before the close Of the
ninth century as the result of singular
example of Our Lady's mercy. There was
| a hermit of notable piety on the mountains.
| named Joan Carl, who unluckily fell into a
snare laid for him with his usual ingenuity.
Wilfred the Hairy was then Count of Bar
celona, and had q daughter, Riquilda, pos
sessed by demon, who made it known
that only Joan Carl, of Monserrat, could
drive him out. -Riquilda was sent to the
mountain and left alone with the holy man.
But instead of expelling Riquilda's devil,
he was tempted by one of his own. He
first violated and then slew the counts
daughter-a crime, says the abbot, which
made the mountain tremble to it's founda-
ton. But the crime was repented as soon
as committed. He flung himself-it was
A. d. s55-at the feet of the Sacred Image,
and then made for Rome, to confess his
sins and seek plenary indulgence from the
Holy Father. The Pontiff granted pardon,
but the penance he imposed was severe.
Carl was to go on all tours like beast,
and N aypiafa his nriuna in Cool Iii
the way from Rome to Monserrat itself. He
had passed six years in this condition of
rational brutality, when another trial was
made of him. In the year s94 the Count of
Barcelona came to Monserrat, not to seek
his lost Riquilda, but simply with hunt
came upon some four-footed game of I'M
usual size and appearance. The animal
was, in fact, Carl, who knew the count,
though the count took him only for novel
kind of beast. Placed in the counts stable,
Carl accepted this fresh penance with
the Divine Mercy. On the occasion of a |
grand banquet, the count sent for his
" monster" to amuse the company, when |
suddenly the heir of the house, a child, as
tonished them all by calling out-in good |
Catalan, of course: "Rise, Joan Carl, God |
has forgiven thy sinsW In n moment the
charm broke. Carl rose, then flung him
self at the counts feet, and with tears in
his eyes, confessed his crime, and recount
ed his subsequent history. The count for
gave him, and was conducted by him to
the sepulchre of his murdered daughter,
when Requilda rose from her sweet sleep
n the arms of Mary" and, with q smile on
Ter lips, embraced her father. Riquilda
esolved to dedicate her life to the Virgin
md the mountain. A convent was founded
~ the count for her and her sisters in re-
igion, and of this she was the first abbess.