The powerful intercessory role of St. Joseph

It was a hot summer day in Cotignac (Provence, France) on June 7, 1660. A young Provençal shepherd, Gaspard Ricard, 22, was leading his flock to the eastern slope of Mount Bessillon. Around one in the afternoon, the heat was intense. Gaspard was so thirsty that he collapsed from weakness on the rocky ground. Suddenly a tall man stood beside him. He pointed to a rock, and said in the local patois: "Iéu siéu Joùsè; enlevo-lou e béuras." That is, "I am Joseph; remove it and you will drink." The boulder was heavy - later on 8 men couldn't move it - so how could Gaspard be strong enough? But the venerable old man simply repeated his advice.

Gaspard obeyed, managed to move the rock, and uncovered a fresh spring of trickling water! He drank greedily to slake his thirst. When he got up, the apparition had disappeared. Without waiting, he went to the village to tell the story, and soon curious people came to the spot. Three hours after the event, in a place where no spring existed, a creek was already flowing.

The facts are duly attested by abundant sources, well preserved in the local archives.

"That's it. Nothing more simple, nothing poorer than this apparition... like the Gospel", commented Bishop Gilles Barthe, former bishop of the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, in his pastoral letter of February 14, 1971. "Water is a central sign in our faith, the sign of our regeneration and of the new life springing forth for us from the Passover of Christ. This apparition highlights the powerful role of intercession of St. Joseph. St. Joseph is united to the Virgin Mary in the eternal plan of divine providence, and God clearly wants Christians, especially families, to turn to him in prayer."

The Mary of Nazareth editorial team