The main relics of Saint Anne, Mary’s mother, are preserved in this little French town

According to Tradition, we know that Lazarus, Martha and Mary of Bethany, Jesus' friends, had to flee Palestine by sea and took refuge on the Gallic shore, in Provence (France), probably at least a decade after the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. In the boat with them were Mary Salome and Mary Cleophas, nieces of Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, as well as the remains of Saint Anne herself.

The relics of St. Anne were then entrusted to one of the first Christian communities in Apt (Vaucluse region of Provence). They were venerated there until the end of the second century, when they were hidden behind a wall in the deepest crypt of the Apt Cathedral to protect them from barbarian invasions and to keep them in an undiscoverable hiding place.

One day, the dreaded evils arrived: Apt was devastated by the invaders and the memory of the existence of the relics of Saint Anne was lost until the reign of Charlemagne, Emperor of the West (d. 814).

However, in the spring of 792, probably on the feast of Easter, when the emperor had just pacified Provence by driving out the Muslims near Montmajour, and when he was passing through the town of Apt and attending mass, an extraordinary event occurred.

Young Jean, the only son of a local nobleman, the Baron de Caseneuve, was blind and deaf and mute from birth. He was 14 years old at the time and was considered mentally retarded. However, his father took him to Mass every Sunday. But on this solemn feast day honored by the presence of Emperor Charles, Jean de Caseneuve, usually very well behaved, suddenly acted strangely. He seemed to be staring attentively at an invisible interlocutor whom he listened to with a smile. Then, he started to furiously hit the steps leading to the main altar, shouting hoarsely and pretending to scratch and dig. The imperial escort tried in vain to silence the cripple who became increasingly agitated. Then, the emperor ordered to listen to the simpleton and to break the ground at the place he indicated.

This being done, a door was discovered and behind it, the walled crypt. They entered, following Jean de Caseneuve, who, blind as he was, made his way with astonishing confidence. At the end of the passage shone an extraordinary light and Jean, radiant, transfigured, exclaimed with a clear voice: "Here is the body of Saint Anne, mother of the most holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God!" The blind, deaf and mute boy had recovered sight, hearing and speech!

The niche was opened and, as the miraculous lamp that had shone for so long inside was extinguished, an enchanting perfume was released. Inside, they found a reliquary bearing Anne's name.

Source: http://www.infobretagne.com/sainte-anne.htm