Come back to Christ through Mary

On March 17, 1635, the Blessed Virgin appeared to Elisabeth Caille, a resident of Bargemon (France), who had been suffering for 2 years from a constant fever accompanied by a retraction of the nerves, which made her prone to accidents. She fell several times a day, and all medical treatments were useless. The Virgin appeared as a pilgrim who knocked on Elisabeth’s door and asked for directions to the church to pray.

Elisabeth accompanied her there and prayed with her, then she invited the stranger to rest in her home. But the beautiful lady refused, saying that she had come only to cure Elisabeth of her illness and to ask her to make her a dress, since the one she was wearing was too worn out. Having obtained promise of this dress, the pilgrim disappeared.

The next day, white penitents knocked on Elisabeth’s door, carrying a statuette of Our Lady in a box covered with green taffeta. They wanted to ask her husband, who knew the master glassmaker of the region, to provide them with an encasement to house the statuette. Still struck by the vision of the day before, Elisabeth saw that the statue was of the beautiful pilgrim who had spoken to her the day before! Her husband therefore went to see his friend the glassmaker to make the required encasement.

On the same day, Elisabeth was completely cured of her illness! The miracle was attested by doctors and by the local bishop (1641). It was the first of a multitude of miracles for all those who have since come to honor and pray to Our Lady of Bargemon.

During the French Revolution, the statue was hidden away, and afterward returned to the church.

Today, work continues on the restoration and an increasing number of pilgrims are visiting. In addition, there are several families of Iraqi Christian refugees who have settled in the village and are an addition to the congregation.

The current parish priest, Father Philippe-Marie Métais-Fontenel had worked for a long time running Radio Maria France. In 2012 he was named pastor of the remote and peaceful village of Bergemon. Shortly after his arrival, he discovered the statuette of "Our Lady of Bargemon" in his presbytery, then a few months later, he found the book "The Unknown Treasure" by Brother Raphael, which recounts the many miraculous cures that took place between 1635 and 1640, through the intercession of Our Lady of Bargemon. The priest realized the richness of Bargemon's message and its relevance in the 21^st century. In this shrine, the Virgin Mary invites everyone to conversion, by coming to pray to God in the local church. She shows the way to Christ!

Adapted from The Catholic Travel Guide and Frejus Toulon