The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-03-29
NOTABLE THINGS TO BE SEEN IN
ST. MIHtEL.
France.
To the Editor:


To the Editor:
ST. Mihiel is almost household
word in many of the homes of our
friends back in America. American
tourists by the hundreds will visit the
scenes of our great drive of last Sep
TENDER, and when they visit st. Mihiel
will doubtless be shown four places of
interest here. Perhaps we shall be
able to tell the folks back home about
them ourselves. They are all easily
accessible
l. The Fort on the hill south Of
town! This is on the site of an older
fort dating back to the old days of
Roman supremacy, "The Fort du camp
des Romaines."
2. The Rocks. Just on the edge of
town, on the Verdun road, there are
seven great rocks or cliffs separated
by somewhat regular intervals. On the
summit of the first rock Cross has
been erected and there are steps lead
ing up to it. Below in the side of this
rock a sepulchre has been cut and in
| it lies Christ in stone and natural size.
| This work of art was the gift OF
Jacques Steinhoff and Claude Francois
was the artist. It was carried hither
| by eight notable men of the town on
the 18th day of February, 1878, after
| having been blessed by the Vicar Gen
eral of the diocese. During the Revo
luton it was hidden in the garden OF
the donor and returned to It's place in
1905
| This Rock is called "Caivarie" and
is the goal of an annual pilgrimage on
the evening of Good Friday when the
| cliff is ornamented with foliage and
| illuminated.
The rocks are represented on the
st. Mihiel coat of arms along with the
motto "Donec Moyeantur"' which may
be freely translated MAY our faith
live without reproach, SO long as oul
Rocks shall stand
3. The Sepulchre of ST. Mihiel. This
monument may be seen in the Church
of st. Etienne, one block south O
Place du Richer. 1t is the master
Ipiece of Ligier RICHER, pupil O
michael Angelo and a native of st
lMihiel, and was executed about thu
middle of the sixteenth century. /
lis composed of thirteen figures il
lstone;~ in size some larger thar
natural. 1t portrays the sculptor!
lconception of the burial of Jesus
Christ is supported by Joseph of Ari
mathea and Nicodemus, who is holding
his feet. Mary, the Mother of Jesus
lis supported by John and Mary, thu
mother of Cleopas. An angel embrac
ing a Cross seems to be comforting
the Mother of Sorrows. In the fore
lground Mary Magdalene is at the foo
of her Lord and Veronica holds tn
crown of thorns and stands wrapt i
deep contemplation. At the left in tn
background Salome arranges tn
shroud and at the extreme right tn
Centurion mentioned in Scriptur
|meditates and almost kneels. TIL
1.-TWO soldiers crouching and gamblin
for the seamless robe of Jesus are a
lmost hidden in the shadows benin
the crown of thorns.
1t is generally believed that, in a.
lcordance with a custom often followe
Iby artists, of placing their own pc
: traits in their groups, RICHER hs
, wished to pass his own face on
! posterity in the figure of the Angel.
: The Sepulchre has been referred
. by art critics as "a unique work
|, art" and Zone of the maryels of Il
;. world"
f Of one traveller passing through
"a Mihiel it is recorded that he remain
! six hours in contemplation before ii
q work. Another famous traveller a.
( member of the French Academy v
# tied ST. Mihiel in 1854, drawn hith
6 by his desire to see the Sepulchre. a
D. was SO filled with admiration for t
n works of Richter that he said it caus
or him great sorrow to leave st. Mihi
e. and that he longed to be able to ii
a. leisure to study his beautiful works.