And coming back updating my older posts in my blog; a work of love, which I have enjoyed tremendously. Hoping and thanking that you have follow along with me in this journey. I like to bring you back to a very important little town of my lovely Bretagne and my beautiful Morbihan which is only about 15 km from my house. This is the historical and religious center of Sainte Anne d’Auray , but let me tell you about curiosities of Sainte Anne d’Auray ,part I !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
This again is a town I go often and spent many times there with the family. It is hugely a religious town of great significant in Brittany at least, so since written so much on it in my blog I like to tell a bit more on the town and not the Basilica. Sainte-Anne-d’Auray , the Breton name is Santez Anna Wened.
Sainte Anne d’Auray is the main pilgrimage site of Brittany. It has been like this since 1625,when the faithful came to commemorate the apparition of Saint Anne, mother of Mary , and maternal grandmother of Jesus Christ, to local farmer Yves Nicolazic (his native house preserved). Every summer, on 24-26 July, a pilgrimage takes place: The pardon of Sainte Anne , is famous for its Catholic pilgrimage in honor of Sainte Anne. Pope John Paul II came on a pilgrimage on September 20, 1996 , first visit of a Pope in Brittany.
There are various memorial to the Fallen here along statues of Sainte Anne and plaque commemorating the visit by Pope Johnn Paul II.
The nécropole nationale de Sainte-Anne-d’Auray is a French military cemetery there are graves of fallen soldiers during the war of 1870, WWI, WWII and the War of Indochina. The necropolis was created in 1959. In 1960-1961, the bodies of soldiers killed during WWII exhumed from the military squares of the communal cemeteries of Brittany, Poitou and the Pays de la Loire were buried in this necropolis. In 1983-1984, it was the remains of soldiers who died during WWI exhumed from the military squares of the communal cemeteries of Brittany, which were grouped together with the bodies of Belgian soldiers who died during WWI and previously buried in Brittany, Pays de la Loire and Normandy. In 1988, the remains of Belgian soldiers buried during the war of 1914-1918 in Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées were transferred to this necropolis as well. With an area of 1.7 hectares, the national Necropolis has 2 106 burials of soldiers who died in hospitals in western France of injuries or illnesses contracted during the wars of 1870, 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. It is the only national necropolis located in Brittany. The ossuary is located under a menhir dedicated to the fallen of all wars.
The routes of memory site on the nécropole nationale de Sainte-Anne-d’Auray: https://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/fr/la-necropole-nationale-de-sainte-anne-dauray
Something from the past still very much in evidence of this of most glorious town. The monument of the Count of Chambord erected in 1891 in memory of Henri d’Artois, the Count of Chambord (Duke of Bordeaux ) last Bourbon pretender to the crown of France. During the attempt to restore Henri V, a pilgrimage was organized by the Royalists from the west of France to Sainte Anne d’Auray to pray for the return of the king to the throne. The latter is held every year on 29 September, the anniversary of the birth of the prince, until his death in 1883. The monument consists of a summit statue of the Comte de Chambord, depicted on his knees and in coronation attire, placed on a granite pedestal. On the sides of it are the statues of all the Saints such as Jeanne d’Arc, on the front, and Saint Geneviève, at the back, as well as the Bayard Knights on the left and Du Guesclin on the right.
The official Royalist site of the Count of Chambord: http://www.comtedechambord.fr/homme/memorial/
The Musée de cire, l’Historial or the wax museum, the Historial; This museum traces, through various scenes, the origins of the Pilgrimage, the life of Yves Nicolazic, the apparitions of St. Anne, mother of Mary, and her miracles, the origin of the Great Breton Pilgrimage. The last scene, carried out by the Musée Grévin de Paris, presents the pope surrounded by 5 Breton children, winking at the visit of John Paul II to Sainte Anne d’Auray on September 20 1996. It is a total reconstruction of the origins of the pilgrimage, etc, under the reign of king Louis XIII. I passed by it almost every day but not been inside yet, goes without saying. The official Musée de cire, l’Historial : http://www.musee-de-cire.com/
Académie de Musique et d’Arts Sacrés or the Academy of Music and Sacred Arts which carries a magnificent cultural project and the musical animation of the site with its choirs, its music (great organ of Cavaillé-Coll). The Breton culture is endowed with a long musical, artistic and religious tradition which is expressed in particular by the pardons. This tradition has been celebrated fervently, since the 17C in Sainte-Anne of Auray. Academy of Music and Sacred Arts has been established since 1999. It is then founded under the name Center of Sacred Music. A veritable bridge between art, culture and faith, it seeks to bring to life and transmit this sacred Breton heritage, rich in music and singing, dance, customs, art objects and creations. Again passed right in front of it almost every day but not been inside yet lol! The Official Académie de Musique et d’Arts Sacrés: http://www.academie-musique-arts-sacres.fr/
Sainte Anne according to the Bible is the mother of Mary, grandmother of Jesus; as well as the Patron Saint of Bretagne! , where it is known as the grandmother! Pope John Paul II came here and he is remembered with a plaque. The Memorial to the fallen of Brittany in the WW is here too. As well as many statues and fountain of the Saint all over a beautiful park including a wonderful inspiring stair of prayer where folks climb to pray even on their knees!!!
The story here is long, so try to make it shorter. A farm worker named , Yvon Nicolazic,heard voices in breton language that told him “Me zo Anna mamm Mari” or in French «Je suis la mère de Marie”, which means I am the mother of Mary. This was July 25 1624, the eve of the feast of Sainte Anne. On March 7 after the call, the farm worker discover in his field in the area of Bocenno, a statue of Sainte Anne that came from an old chapel then in ruins. This event prove the authenticity of the apparitions. More than 400 years later pilgrimages happenned here, with thousands of folks, the most important was Pope John Paul II in September 20, 1996.
And ,there is a statue call Sainte Anne et les marins in memory of mariners or fisherman who have a strong devotion to the sainte. The statue with the child enfant Jesus weights 12.50 ton, and high of 5.64 meters, done with 3 blocks of granite stone from Kersanton is magnificent. There is a chapel of the Immaculate Conception to the east of cloister built in 1890. To the east of the chapel you will find the place where Yvon Nicolazic the farmer who had the visions was born, now the house dates from 1907. The statue in front of Basilica of Sainte Anne looking over a fountain is the only one representing Mary showing her mother (Ste Anne) . The others show her showing the heavens as was the mision “Sainte Anne, Mère de Marie, conduis-nous vers Jésus”. or Saint Anne, mother of Mary, guide us towards Jesus.
The city of Sainte Anne d’Auray on its heritage: https://www.sainte-anne-auray.com/?page_id=85
The Bay of Quiberon local tourist office on Sainte Anne d’Auray: https://www.baiedequiberon.bzh/sainte-anne-dauray
There you go folks , something different to see in a city surrounded by Sainte Anne, mother of Mary, grandmother of Jesus, patron Saint of Bretagne!,the grandmother!! Plenty more to see here and you are told worth the detour indeed. Again, hope you enjoy this post on curiosities of Sainte Anne d’Auray, part I !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 