The Miraculous Birth of King Louis XIV "God-Given" (III)

The Queen, informed early on about the brother's visions, began to believe in the heavenly promises transmitted through Brother Fiacre. Her husband also heard of it but (he) felt that the opinion of the Cardinal should be the determining factor. Time passed, but goaded on by a strong desire, Brother Fiacre began the three novenas in the name of the Queen on 8th November 1637. The Queen herself found out and joined in midway. The novenas ended on 5th December, that is to say, as was discretely written in the venerable brother's biography, "precisely 9 months before the birth of the future King Louis XIV". In the first days of February 1638, when the Queen felt the child stir within her womb, she had only one desire and that was to meet the much talked-about Brother Fiacre. Therefore, the humble monk was ordered to go to the Louvre Palace where, at once both embarrassed and moved, he saw the Queen kneel in front of him and thank him. This showed how much Anne of Austria believed in the blessed origin of her pregnancy! A little later, he was summoned before the King who commanded him, along with another friar, to make the journey to Cotignac. On 7th February, the Royal command ordering them to go to Cotignac reached their convent. The King saw to all necessities; he ordered all the governors to give the bearers of his letter safe and free passage and every favor and assistance that the friars may require. The humble Brother Fiacre would have, of course, been satisfied with much less!