Our Lady of Hope
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Hope is the title given to the Virgin Mary on her apparition at Pontmain
, France
on January 17, 1871.
, things were not going well for France. The Germans
marched to Laval
. All the people were suffering from the effects of ill-advised advice taken by Napoleon III
.
On 19th July, 1870, Emperor Napoleon III of the second Empire declared war against Prussia
. From the first days of the war, defeat followed defeat. On 1st September, 1870, the Emperor, together with 80,000 French
soldiers were imprisoned. It was for this reason that men and boys, with no previous military training, were drafted to the army. They all came from the scarcely five-hundred inhabitants of Pont-Main, France. Before the draftees left, they all went to Confession
, heard Mass, and received Holy Communion. Father Guerin blessed them and consecrated them all to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
On 17th January, 1871, Paris
was besieged. Two-thirds of the country was in the power of the Germans. The battle of Le Mans
had laid Mayenne
and Brittany
open to the invaders. In this time of dire trouble, prayer rose from different parts of France as from one heart and from one voice, most earnestly near the spot where the invaders' next attack was expected. This spot was Laval
, chief town of Mayenne.
The German army was advancing towards the west of France. On the 12th January, 1871 it entered Le Mans
. By Tuesday, the 17th, it had reached the gates of Laval. There were a huge number of deserters. They were deaf to the voice of the officers. Two of them were executed, but this example had no effect on the others, wrote Admiral Jaureguiberry, the officer in the command of this sector.
It was snowing. Night and day wagons passed through Laval from east to west. All day long the wounded were being set down. They needed care. In the countryside farmers were hiding their possessions - money, corn, wine and linen.
Everything was going wrong. An outbreak of typhoid had been declared. Smallpox
was spreading. At Laval, people were being vaccinated. Some commentators wrote that even the elements seemed disturbed. On the 11th of January an Aurora Borealis
made a deep impression on many. Some saw in it the masts of a phantom ship; others, on the steeples of the cathedral.
By the 17th January, 1871, the Prussians were just across the river from Laval, which is the City next to Mayenne. About half past twelve, there was an earthquake in Pont-Main. Fear was widespread. "No use praying. God doesn't hear us", they were saying in Pont-Main.
Then it was that Pont-Main, a hamlet of some five-hundred inhabitants, was to become forever memorable, because of the heavenly favour vouchsafed that night. Even its geographical position on the borderland between Brittany and Mayenne was to assume historical importance. Seen by the light of the celestial drama about to be enacted above it, it was to appear as a sentinel guarding Brittany.
", but without the rays of light.
s of the Rosary
. Then a white banner, about a yard wide, unrolled beneath the Lady's feet, thus, forming a perfect rectangle. Here she spelled her message:
"OH ! DO PRAY MY CHILDREN, GOD WILL ANSWER YOU VERY SOON. MY SON ALLOWS HIMSELF TO BE MOVED"
"MAIS PRIEZ MES ENFANTS, DIEU VOUS EXAUCERA EN PEU DE TEMPS. MON FILS SE LAISSE TOUCHER"(in french)
"My Son allows Himself to be moved" is an incorrect translation of the French which read: "Mon fils se laisse ...." This is very significant because only the children could see the letters as they unfolded. When, all together, they spelled the word "laisse". The nun school teacher who was present corrected the children and said: "There has no 'i'. ( 'Se laisse' alone would translated 'My Son allows himself', make no sense "se lasse" : this is translated to: "My Son grows weary" . But they (who saw the message) said "no", and repeated the word "laisse". "There is a 'i'" they said.
was a darker red hue but no blood was flowing from the wounds. The community prayed their night prayers together. A large white veil began to cover the figure of the Virgin, slowly rising to her face and then she gave her last smile to the children. As the night prayers came to a close, the apparition ended. It was about nine o'clock. The Apparition ended after lasting about three hours.
was signed. The promise, "God will soon grant your request", of Our Lady of Hope had been fulfilled. Soon all the thirty-eight conscripted men and boys returned home unscathed.
On the evening of the ever-memorable 17th January, 1871, the Commander of the Prussian forces, having taken up his quarters at the archiepiscopal palace of Le Mans, told Msgr. Fillion, Bishop of that diocese
: "By this time my troops are at Laval".
On the same evening, the Prussian troops in sight of Laval stopped at half-past five o'clock, about the time when the Apparition first appeared above Pont-Main, a few miles off. General Schmidt is reported to have said on the morning of the 18th: "We cannot go farther. Yonder, in the direction of Brittany, there is an invisible 'Madonna' barring the way."
. After that the devotion to the Blessed Virgin under the title of that of Notre Dame d' Esperance de Pont-Main, Our Lady of Hope of Pont-Main, was authorized by the ecclesiastical authorities, and the confraternity of that name has been extended all over the world. Signal favors, both spiritual and temporal, have been granted by heaven through it.
Finally, on the Feast of the Purification, February 2, 1872, Msgr. Wicart, Bishop of Laval, issued a pastoral letter giving a canonical judgment on the apparition.
Thus, the veneration
of Our Lady of Hope of Pont-Main was given official Church recognition and approval.
Pope Pius XI
gave a final decision regarding the mass and office in honor of Our Lady of Hope of Pont-Main.
A final papal honor was given to Our Lady of Hope on July 16, 1932 by Cardinal Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius XII
, by passing a decree from the Chapter of St. Peter's Basilica
that the statue of the Blessed Lady, Mother of Hope, be solemnly honored with the crown of gold. The Lady then was crowned in the presence of archbishop, bishops, priests and the laity by Cardinal Verdier, Archbishop of Paris
. The coronation took place on July 24, 1934.
Pontmain
Pontmain is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.-History:On 17 January 1871, some children from the village claimed to see an apparition of the Virgin Mary in the sky. February 2 1872, Mgr. Wicart, bishop of Laval, recognised the apparition...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on January 17, 1871.
History
During the war with GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, things were not going well for France. The Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
marched to Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
. All the people were suffering from the effects of ill-advised advice taken by Napoleon III
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
.
On 19th July, 1870, Emperor Napoleon III of the second Empire declared war against Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
. From the first days of the war, defeat followed defeat. On 1st September, 1870, the Emperor, together with 80,000 French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
soldiers were imprisoned. It was for this reason that men and boys, with no previous military training, were drafted to the army. They all came from the scarcely five-hundred inhabitants of Pont-Main, France. Before the draftees left, they all went to Confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
, heard Mass, and received Holy Communion. Father Guerin blessed them and consecrated them all to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
On 17th January, 1871, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
was besieged. Two-thirds of the country was in the power of the Germans. The battle of Le Mans
Battle of Le Mans
The Battle of Le Mans was a Prussian victory during the Franco-Prussian War which ended French resistance in western France.-Background:After the victory at the Battle of Orleans , Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia marched his army further to the west towards Le Mans. Antoine Chanzy had under his...
had laid Mayenne
Mayenne
Mayenne is a department in northwest France named after the Mayenne River.-History:Mayenne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. The northern two thirds correspond to the western part of the former province of Maine...
and Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
open to the invaders. In this time of dire trouble, prayer rose from different parts of France as from one heart and from one voice, most earnestly near the spot where the invaders' next attack was expected. This spot was Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
, chief town of Mayenne.
The German army was advancing towards the west of France. On the 12th January, 1871 it entered Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
. By Tuesday, the 17th, it had reached the gates of Laval. There were a huge number of deserters. They were deaf to the voice of the officers. Two of them were executed, but this example had no effect on the others, wrote Admiral Jaureguiberry, the officer in the command of this sector.
It was snowing. Night and day wagons passed through Laval from east to west. All day long the wounded were being set down. They needed care. In the countryside farmers were hiding their possessions - money, corn, wine and linen.
Everything was going wrong. An outbreak of typhoid had been declared. Smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
was spreading. At Laval, people were being vaccinated. Some commentators wrote that even the elements seemed disturbed. On the 11th of January an Aurora Borealis
Aurora (astronomy)
An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
made a deep impression on many. Some saw in it the masts of a phantom ship; others, on the steeples of the cathedral.
By the 17th January, 1871, the Prussians were just across the river from Laval, which is the City next to Mayenne. About half past twelve, there was an earthquake in Pont-Main. Fear was widespread. "No use praying. God doesn't hear us", they were saying in Pont-Main.
Then it was that Pont-Main, a hamlet of some five-hundred inhabitants, was to become forever memorable, because of the heavenly favour vouchsafed that night. Even its geographical position on the borderland between Brittany and Mayenne was to assume historical importance. Seen by the light of the celestial drama about to be enacted above it, it was to appear as a sentinel guarding Brittany.
Site of the Apparition
At Pont-Main, though the roars of cannons could be heard, the Barbedette family was busy with their household chores before supper. The Barbedette were one of the oldest family of the region and also one of the most devout. The Mass, Rosary, and other prayers featured prominently in their daily activities. That night Caesar Barbedette and his two sons - Eugene, 12, and Joseph, 10, were at work in the horse stable, where they regularly slept. Jeanette Detais visited them for some neighbourly talk. Bored by adult conversation, when Eugene went to the barn door to check the weather, his eyes gazed across the evening sky and he noticed an unusual sight at the roof of Augustine Guidecog's house, some seventy feet away from him. The stars seemed to melt away and suddenly about five feet above the roof, there appeared a beautiful Lady.The Description of the Lady
The Lady as described by Eugene was dressed in a flowing robe of deep radiant blue studded with gold stars. The sleeves were full, extending up to the hands. She was wearing blue slippers, tied with golden ribbon in the shape of a rosette. Her hair was completely covered with black veil thrown over her shoulders reaching down to the level of her elbow. On her head a gold crown rose slightly to a peak. It had no ornament in front except a red band circling the centre. Her hands were extended - "like the Miraculous MedalMiraculous Medal
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a medal created by Saint Catherine Labouré following a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary...
", but without the rays of light.
Apparition as seen by Eugene and Joseph
The Lady was smiling at Eugene. And as he heard Jeanette coming, he pointed to the sky for her to see the heavenly spectacle. But she saw nothing. Their voices had attracted Caesar Barbedette and his other son Joseph. When they came outside, the father also saw nothing but Joseph saw the Lady as his brother saw it. Their mother was called and saw nothing too. By now the neighbours became aware of the commotion and so the father and the mother tried to distract the attention of the boys but to no avail.Apparition as seen by Frances, Jeanne Marie, Eugene Friteau and the Baby, Augustine
They then decided to call the two sisters of the village school, Sister Vitaline and Sister Marie Edward. Sister Vitaline came and she too saw nothing of the heavenly vision. She then sent three children - Frances Richer, 11, Jeanne Marie Lebosse, 9, and a third child. Both girls saw the smiling beautiful Lady, the third child could not. Sister Vitaline then came with Sister Marie Edward who in turn fetched Father Guerin. They all saw nothing of the apparition which the children were describing to them. Another child by the name of Eugene Friteau, six and half, also saw the Lady, sickly as he was. A neighbour, Madame Boitin, with her two-year old, Augustine, joined the crowd which had now gathered together by the barn. The baby in her childish way reached out with her little arms towards the Apparition and showed signs of joy.The Message
From time to time the Lady would look sad because of some haughty and rowdy people in the crowd, but she would smile back especially with the prayers and hymns, the Rosary and Marian songs of the people led by Father Guerin and the two sisters. As the congregation was reciting the Rosary, stars gathered two by two, below the Lady's feet as if representing the Hail MaryHail Mary
The Angelic Salutation, Hail Mary, or Ave Maria is a traditional biblical Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Hail Mary is used within the Catholic Church, and it forms the basis of the Rosary...
s of the Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
. Then a white banner, about a yard wide, unrolled beneath the Lady's feet, thus, forming a perfect rectangle. Here she spelled her message:
"My Son allows Himself to be moved" is an incorrect translation of the French which read: "Mon fils se laisse ...." This is very significant because only the children could see the letters as they unfolded. When, all together, they spelled the word "laisse". The nun school teacher who was present corrected the children and said: "There has no 'i'. ( 'Se laisse' alone would translated 'My Son allows himself', make no sense "se lasse" : this is translated to: "My Son grows weary" . But they (who saw the message) said "no", and repeated the word "laisse". "There is a 'i'" they said.
The end of Apparition
After some time, she raised her hands to the height of her shoulder, arms out and bent slightly backwards and elbows close to her body. Then a large red cross appeared in the hands of the Blessed Virgin. The figure of the crucified ChristCrucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
was a darker red hue but no blood was flowing from the wounds. The community prayed their night prayers together. A large white veil began to cover the figure of the Virgin, slowly rising to her face and then she gave her last smile to the children. As the night prayers came to a close, the apparition ended. It was about nine o'clock. The Apparition ended after lasting about three hours.
The Miracle after the Apparition
In the meantime, late that night of the 17th January, General Von Schmidt of the Prussian Army who was about to run over Laval towards Pont-Main, received orders from his Commander not to take the city. The invasion of the Catholic West never came off. On 23rd January, 1871, the long-hoped for ArmisticeArmistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
was signed. The promise, "God will soon grant your request", of Our Lady of Hope had been fulfilled. Soon all the thirty-eight conscripted men and boys returned home unscathed.
On the evening of the ever-memorable 17th January, 1871, the Commander of the Prussian forces, having taken up his quarters at the archiepiscopal palace of Le Mans, told Msgr. Fillion, Bishop of that diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
: "By this time my troops are at Laval".
On the same evening, the Prussian troops in sight of Laval stopped at half-past five o'clock, about the time when the Apparition first appeared above Pont-Main, a few miles off. General Schmidt is reported to have said on the morning of the 18th: "We cannot go farther. Yonder, in the direction of Brittany, there is an invisible 'Madonna' barring the way."
Authorization of the Our Lady of Hope
This sudden and inexplicable stopping of the German forces in sight of Laval, and their equally inexplicable retirement the following morning, meant, together with the saving of Brittany, the turning back of the tide of conquering soldiery from that part of France. The war was practically at an end. Twelve days later the armistice was signed at VersaillesVersailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
. After that the devotion to the Blessed Virgin under the title of that of Notre Dame d' Esperance de Pont-Main, Our Lady of Hope of Pont-Main, was authorized by the ecclesiastical authorities, and the confraternity of that name has been extended all over the world. Signal favors, both spiritual and temporal, have been granted by heaven through it.
Official church recognition and approval
After the apparition of Our Lady of Hope on January 17, 1871, pilgrims made up of both the clergy and the laity came to Pont-Main. At the same time, inquiries and investigations were made about the apparition; the visionary children were submitted to various intense interrogations.Finally, on the Feast of the Purification, February 2, 1872, Msgr. Wicart, Bishop of Laval, issued a pastoral letter giving a canonical judgment on the apparition.
Thus, the veneration
Veneration
Veneration , or veneration of saints, is a special act of honoring a saint: an angel, or a dead person who has been identified by a church committee as singular in the traditions of the religion. It is practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic, and Eastern Catholic Churches...
of Our Lady of Hope of Pont-Main was given official Church recognition and approval.
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
gave a final decision regarding the mass and office in honor of Our Lady of Hope of Pont-Main.
A final papal honor was given to Our Lady of Hope on July 16, 1932 by Cardinal Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
, by passing a decree from the Chapter of St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
that the statue of the Blessed Lady, Mother of Hope, be solemnly honored with the crown of gold. The Lady then was crowned in the presence of archbishop, bishops, priests and the laity by Cardinal Verdier, Archbishop of Paris
Archbishop of Paris
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Paris is one of twenty-three archdioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The original diocese is traditionally thought to have been created in the 3rd century by St. Denis and corresponded with the Civitas Parisiorum; it was elevated to an archdiocese on...
. The coronation took place on July 24, 1934.
See also
- Marian apparitionsMarian apparitionsA Marian apparition is an event in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is believed to have supernaturally appeared to one or more people. They are often given names based on the town in which they were reported, or on the sobriquet which was given to Mary on the occasion of the apparition...
- Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain, QuebecNotre-Dame-de-Pontmain, QuebecNotre-Dame-de-Pontmain is a municipality in the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality.The village itself is located between Camp and Dudley Lakes in the Du Lièvre River watershed.-History:...
, municipality in Canada that was named after these apparitions