Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 12.djvu/116

 PILGRIMAGES

PILGRIMAGES

1529) . Before dealing -n-ith each pilgrimage in particu- lar one further remark should be made. Though not properly includ<Hl under a list of abuses, a custom must be noted of going in search of shrines utterly at haphazard and without any definite notion of where the journey was to end (Waterton, "Piet. ]\Iar. Britt.", London, 1S79. Ill, 107; "Anglo-Sax. Chron.", tr. Thorpe in R. S., London. 1861, II, 69; Beazley, "Dawn of Mod. Geog.", London, 1S97-1906, I, 174-5; Tobl. Bibl. Geog. Pal. 26, ed. of 1S76).

History in P.\rticul.\r. — It will be necessary to mention and note briefly the chief places of Catholic pilgrimage, in early days, in the Middle Ages, and in modern times.

Aachen, Rhenish Prussia. — This celebrated city owes its fame as a centre of pilgrimage to the extraor- dinary list of precious relics which it contains. Of

their authenticity there is no need here to speak, but they include among a host of others, the swaddling clothes of the child Jesus, the loin-cloth which Our Lord wore on the Cross, the cloth on which the Bap- tist's head lay after his execution, and the Blessed Virgin's cloak. These reUcs are exposed to public veneration everj* seven years. The number of pil- grims in 18S1 was 158,968 (Champagnac, "Diet, des pelerinages", Paris, 1859, I, 78).

Alet, Limoux, France, contains a shrine of the Blessed Virgin dating traditionally from the twelfth century. The principal feast is celebrated on 8 Sep- tember, when there is still a great concourse of pil- grims from the neighbourhood of Toulouse. It is the centre of a confraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary founded for the conversion of sinners, the mem- bers of which exceed several thousands (Champagnac, II, 89).

Amhronay, Burgundy, France, an ancient shrine of the Blessed Virgin, dating back to the seventh century. It is still a centre of pilgrimage.

Amorgos, or Morgo, in the Greek Archipelago, has a quaint picture of the Blessed Virgin painted on wood, which is reputed to have been profaned and broken at Cj^prus and then miraculously rejoined in its present shrine. Near by is enacted the pretended miracle of the Urne, so celebrated in the Archipelago (Cham- pagnac, I, 129).

Ancona, Italy. — The Cathedral of St. Cyriacus contains a shrine of the Blessed Virgin which became famous only in 1796. On 25 June of that year, the eyes of the Madonna were seen filled with tears, which was later interpreted to have prefigured the calamities that fell on Pius VI and the Church in Italj- owing to Napoleon. The picture was solemnlv crowned by Pius VII on 13 May, 18U, under the" title "Regina Sanctorum Omnium" (Champagnac, I, 133; Anon., "Pelerinages aux sanct. de la mere de Dieu", Paris, 1840).

Anges, Seine-et-Oise, France. — The present chapel only dates from 1808; but the pilgrimage is really ancient. In connexion with the shrine is a spring of miraculous water (Champagnac, I, 146).

Arcachon, Gironde, France. — It is curious among the shrines of the Blessed ^'irgin as containing an alabaster statue of the thirteenth century. Pius IX granted to this statue the honour of coronation in 1870, since which time pilgrimages to it have greatly increased in number and in frequency.

Ardilliers, Saumur, France. — A chapel of the Blessed Virgin founded on the site of an ancient monastery. It has been visited by famous French pilgrims such as Anne of .\ustria, Louis XIII, Henri- etta Maria, etc. The sacristy was built by Cesare, Duke of Vendome, and in 1634 Cardinal Richelieu added a chapel (Champagnac, I, 169).

Argenleuil, Seine-et-Oise, France, is one of the places which boasts of possessing the Holy Coat of Jesus Christ. Its abbey was also well known as having had as abbess the famous Hdloise. Whatever maj- be thought of the authenticity of the reUc, the antiquity of pilgrimages drawn to its veneration dates from its presentation to St. Louis in 1247. From the [lilgrimage of Queen Blanche in 1255 till our own day there h;is been an almost uninterrupted flow of visi- tors. The present chd.sse was the gift of the Duchess of Guise in 1680 (Champagnac, I, 171-223).

Aubervilles, Seine, France, an ancient place of pil- grimage from Paris. It is mentioned in the Calendars of that diocese under the title of Notre-Dame-des- \'ertus, and its feast was celebrated annually on the second Tuesday in May. An early list of miraculous cures performed under the invocation of this Madonna was printed at Paris in 1617 (Champagnac. I, 246).

Auriesi'ille, Montgomery Co., New York, U. S. A., is the centre of one of the great pilgrimages of the New World. It is the scene of martyrdom of three Jesuit missionaries by Mohawk Indians; but the chapel erected on the spot has been dedicated to Our Lady of Martyrs, presumably because the cause of the beatification of the three fathers is as yet uncompleted. 15 August is the chief day of pilgrimage; but the prac- tice of visiting Auriesville increases yearly in fre- quency, and lasts intermittently throughout the whole summer (Wynne, "A Shrine in the Mohawk Valley", New York, 1905; Gerard in "The Month", March, 1874, 306).

Bailleul-le-Soc, Oise, France, possesses a chapel dedicated to the Blessed ^'irgin, dating from the reign of Louis XIV. It has received no episcopal authoriza- tion, and in fact was condemned by the Bishop of Beauvais, Mgr de Saint-Aignan, 24 February, 1716. This was in consequence of the pilgrimage which sprang up, of visiting a well of medicinal waters. Owing to its health-giving properties, it was called Saine-Fontaine, but. by the superstition of the people, who at once invented a legend to account for it, this was quickly changed to Saiiile-Fontaine. It is still a place of veneration; and pilgrims go to drink the waters of the so-called holy well (Champagnac, I, 264).

Betharram, Basses-Pyrenees, France, one of the oldest shrines in all France, the very name of which dates from the Saracenic occupation of the country. A legend puts back the foundation into the fourth century, but this is certainly several hundred years