The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-24
NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY MORNING. MAY 1871

memory of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Maxi
min and Trophime as its apostles. When .
recollection is thus on the lips and in tn,
hearts of a whole people, when these name
are over all the land, meeting us at ever,
step, we feel intuitively that such things car
b not be invented, that they are not imaginary
that 80 long and enduring a chain of evidence.
could not have been formed without first
link. In these traditions, in these monuments
in these local names, in these cherished sou.
venirs, there is an incontestable authority
which claims my entire assent"
The learned prelate then goes on to give o
detailed account of a pilgrimage made by
himself to the lonely, and lofty grotto. called
by the French people La Sainte Baume, where
Magdalen is said to have spent thirty years in
prayers and tears, in order to show, says the
same eloquent divine, to every Magdalen of
the future what she must do in order to be
called Mary!
In his exquisite description of the tolsome
ascent up the rugged NOM tain side, he speaks
of the villages of St. Zacharie and of ST.
Maximin, either of which is the starting point
for the pilgrim who wishes to visit tn, grotto
of Nagdalen. Having arrived upon the level
of an immense plateau that overlooks all the
chain of small mountains which encircle
France, and while crossing this bleak and arid
ground, Bishop Dnpanloup mentions an ex-
qusite aroma, subtle fragrance that seemed
to steal out of the sombre distance and to
come towards him with q sweet and mysteri-
GUS charm. Our readers will, no doubt, thrill
with the recollection of that precious ointment
whose perfume filled the house, and will, even as
the elOU RisboD did he fLjI ,psta-
rious fragrance to her whose loving act of wor.
ship was to be told, according to the Saviour's
words, over the whole world as memorial of
her. Coming to the foot of the sharp over
ing mountains, the Bishop describes the
dreadful solitude that stretches on every SIDE
sign of life, no smiling nature, only a few
struggling bitter roots all is silence, grandeur
and peace. Fit abode for one whose soul was
the most perfect type of all that is noble
peaceful and sublime in Repentance.
At last the Bishop found himself at the en-
trance of the grotto-of that wonderful retreat
which the French have called by a name, as
beautiful almost as the memory there enshrned
La Sainte Baume-The Holy Balm! whence
Magdalen's eyes could see only the blue waters
of the Mediterranean, washing the coast of
Asia and reminding her of the three years
spent at the Saviour's feet, or the blue expanse
of sky above her, into whose shining depths
she had seen her Master enter, and whittier
her own heart was ever seeking to follow Him.
Here she spout thirty years, eating only the
bitter roots that are still found in the vicinity
of the grotto, aud drinking the cold drops of
water, that may still be Tickling down
the face of the rock, and which, in the beaut |
full language of that country, are called the
tears of Magdalen. 49,
Tradition relates that just before her death, |
angelic hands brought the body of Magdaisu |
to the holy Bishop st. Naximiu-that he |
mig anoint and bury it-and thai from his
lips her soul received it last earthly message,
and by his hands her body was consigned to
the tomb. lie also caused to be built an hum
BILE chapel above her remains, which, in the
fifth century, came under the guardianship of
the Cassiauite Monk, who for thousand
years continued to watch over the grotto and
sepulchre of Magdarn, alternating their hours
by the holy exercises of contemplation aud !
charity.
Early in the eight century the SLracens c"m- !
menced their iuroads upon France, aud for
three hundred years continued To derastate the
coast of Provence Fearing to Jose the pre-
cious relics in their charge, the Monks con-
cealed the body Of Magdalen and raised above
the spot wall of masonry, havrrE irst en-
closed parchment in thu mIthDo r"'r c"rti-
Tying to the precious d'r"sts o"nr.ined
therein. THIS III 10. and for five hundred
years the crypt remained undisrmI" he'd Tuth
The Monks lost even the recntlrc'iOn of the
sxact place of her eutombment Bat in 1879,
Charles, Prince OF Sicily and nephew of Louis
*. of France, Determined to rescue the re-
mains and to restore them again to the veneer
'tion Of the people. He caused the traditions
preserved ny the mOnkS, aud thUSp held by thVI