06/19/2024
๐โจ Our pilgrimage in continues to be a journey of deep faith and profound experiences. Yesterday, our group visited the historic shrine of St. Mary Magdalene in St. Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Provence in the south of France. This sacred site holds a rich history and a powerful connection to one of Jesus' most devoted disciples. ๐ซ๐ท๐ซ๐ท๐ซ๐ท
โ๏ธ After the resurrection of Jesus, St. Mary Magdalene, along with her brother Lazarus and other followers, were exiled from the Holy Land and arrived on the shores of Provence. St. Maximin, a follower of Mary Magdalene, became the first bishop of this region, while Lazarus became the first bishop of Marseilles. ๐ซ๐ท๐
At the shrine, we were deeply moved by a talk from Fr. Florian, founder of the Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist. He spoke about Mary Magdaleneโs transformation from sinner to saint, her role as the first to announce the Resurrection, earning her the title "Apostle to the Apostles." Fr. Gary Holmes also shared many reflections, including the three times Mary Magdalene wept in Scripture, highlighting her profound love, humility and repentance. โค๏ธ
Our pilgrims had the unique opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Mary Magdalene's hair and pray before her skull in the crypt of the ancient basilica. We also venerated one of the thorns from the crown placed on Jesus' head. A truly anointed experience! ๐
Our spiritual director, Fr. Joseph Fazio LC, celebrated Holy Mass, with Fr. Timothy Moran LC concelebrating, inviting us all to step out in humility and courageously become great apostles of Jesus, following in the footsteps of St. Mary Magdalene's love, faithfulness, and devotion. ๐โค๏ธโ๐ฅ
May we all be inspired by this incredible saint to deepen our faith and spread the good news with courage and compassion. ๐๐
https://marian.ie/pilgrimages-from-ireland/shrines-of-france.asp