This nine day Novena to Saint Mary Magdalene comes to you directly from the South of France, Mary Magdalene country. La Sainte-Baume, which means “holy cave” in Provençal dialect, is the name of the Cave where Mary Magdalene spent the last thirty years of her life. The entrance to this […]
Novena Tour Day 1—Arrival at the Hôtellerie-de-la-Sainte-Baume – July 20, 2013
Our guests arrived at Marseille Airport in three shifts. First came Sue from Illinois who I met at St. Ita’s in Chicago during the Illinois Relic Tour last February, and Roberta and Peggy who traveled together from Connecticut. We found a comfortable spot in the airport at a Starbucks in which to […]
Novena Tour Day 2—Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer – July 21, 2013
Novena Tour Day 3—Feast Day of Saint Mary Magdalene – July 22, 2013
Novena Tour Day 4—Aix-en-Provence & its Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur – July 23, 2013
Today Pascale, our chauffeur or tour bus driver, took us to the lively city of Aix-en-Provence, about a one and a quarter hour drive from the hôtellerie. Its history and numerous monuments accumulated over the centuries have made Aix-en-Provence a prestigious and incomparable town of art and culture, with beautiful […]
Novena Tour Day 5—Abbaye de Saint-Victor & Old Marseille – July 24, 2013
The 8:30 AM daily breakfast at the Hôtellerie-de-la-Sainte-Baume includes a variety of drinks – coffee, tea, hot milk and powdered chocolate, juice and water. There is always toast and french bread, butter and jam spread out on the long family style tables. It is a typical continental breakfast. We sometimes […]
Novena Tour Day 6—Basilique Sainte Marie Madeleine at St. Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume & Sanary-sur-Mer – July 25, 2013
Basilique Sainte Marie Madeleine We started our day traveling to the Basilique Sainte Marie Madeleine in St. Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, a forty-five minute drive from the hôtellerie. We had an appointment with Fr. Sean Davidson, a Missionary of the Most Holy Eucharist. Several years ago Fr. Florian Racine co-founded this Order, with […]
Novena Tour Day 7—A day of contemplation, prayer & solitude at La Sainte-Baume – July 26, 2013
Today was a day for contemplation, prayer, solitude, sleeping or doing whatever you wanted to do. - nothing in particular was planned. Some spent some time in the Chapelle Sainte Marie-Madeleine, as our busy schedule the past few days has only allowed us time in the Chapel for Matines and Laudes in the morning and Complies in the evening.