Come Here in Procession

On the 10th of August, a woodcutter, John de la Baume, went up to the Verdaille hill. He was alone. As was his custom, he started his day in prayer. When he stood up, he saw a cloud and the Blessed Virgin then appeared with the Baby Jesus in her arms, surrounded by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Catherine the martyr, and Saint Michael the Archangel. Our Lady was standing with her feet on a crescent moon. She spoke to John in the following way, "I am the Blessed Virgin. Go and tell the clergy and the Consuls of Cotignac to build a church right here on this spot in the name of Our Lady of Graces, and have the faithful come here in procession to receive the gifts that I wish to bestow." Then the vision disappeared. Was it a hallucination? Whether he doubted or not, John kept the message to himself, which entitled him to a second apparition of the Mother of God! The following day, the 11th of August, standing in the same place to finish his wood cutting, he had the same vision and received the same request. This time, he decided to obey and went down to the village immediately. John was known to be a sober man and both the authorities and the villagers supported him unanimously. A chapel was erected at the site of the apparitions and has been witness to many graces and miraculous signs, most notably the miraculous birth of King Louis XIV- a birth that was difficult to obtain for his royal parents had previously been unable to conceive.