Esteemed Readers, we continue our Royal voyage. Today we have already arrived to Verdun, a charming town in in the Lorraine Region, very close to Luxembourg. Hurray!
“Early we arrived to Verdun where everything had been arranged so well that we passed the Pentecost Feast there. Verdun is a town built at the bank of the Meuse & one of the best places in Lorraine. The diocese Suffragant belongs to the Archdiocese of Reims. This Church used to have outstanding prelates: Counts de Verdun & Princes de Saint Empire. The River Meuse makes this town fascinating by means of isles it forms. The King Henri II had conquered Verdun in 1522. The chapitre of the local Nostre-Dame Cathedral is considerable. The Bishop received the King in his Episcopal palace. It is very beautiful…and solemn. This Palace had been built in a rock to protect the down Town. Meadows watered with the Meuse & valleys are very fertile & (provide) with all things necessary for life, even most incredible ones… There are numerous kinds of the anice that we call “de Verdun”, or dragées in other words, in this Town. They give it (everywhere): when they make gifts to Sovereigns, in places where the wine is offered. And one hundred boxes were given to the King…
On the Pentecost Day almost the whole Court did its devotion alike the King. That was an extraordinary thing (happened) during the procession, however not new at all for the reign of Louis XIV who supervises everything concerning the Religion & piousness…(After the Second Mass) at the entrance to the Church His Majesty touched the sick, while Mr. Duc de Noailles made bring another group from Chalons. They were placed under the trees of the first court of the Diocese…(Then) the King returned to the Great Mass…After it he desired to touch another seventy ill persons…& he spent the afternoon in the Cathedral listening to the Vespers…”To be continued.
The previous parts for newcomers:
PS. Painting by Nicolas Poussin
Maria KethuProfumo
Amazing that Louis would want to touch the ill. I wonder if any were healed. Thanks for sharing, Maria.
It was a tradition, dear John. Besides, it had the effect indeed. Any king of France (I cannot say about other European countries) did it. It is connected with the Sacrality of the Monarch’s personality in France. In fact, it was one of his main obligation. I suppose that some Saint Spirit passed to the ill persons indeed, so it worked. I was happy to come across this passage in the Voyage & to share it with you. As I have expected this information has been omitted by the modern historians. You know my ancient spirit! 😁😁😁
I suspect you are right by the omission. Yes you are the historian’s historian.
Insieme al Re stiamo viaggiando anche noi, che bello!
Il dipinto è notevole.
Grazie Maria per questo viaggio…culturale.
Sempre con piacere, l’onorevole Fulvialuna! Il dipinto è da Nicolas Poussin. 😋☕🍨
I don’t think I would want to touch sick people, Maria. An interesting thing for a monarch to do.
Thank you, my dear.Please, see the comment I have left for John about that. This Royal act is connected with le sacralité of the Monarch’s personality. Besides, only the King had right to do that. It is a very pure Christian act, in fact.
Thanks for the information, Maria.
😀😊😊
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