AVIGNONFRANCE, 1433

On November 30, 1433a small church run by theGray Penitents of theFranciscan order wasexhibiting a consecrated Hostfor perpetual adoration.After days of rain, the riversswelled and surprisingly,Avignon was submerged.By boat, two friars of theOrder succeeded in reachingthe church where the HolySacrament had been left foradoration. When they enteredthe church, they saw thatthe waters were divided tothe right and to left, leavingthe altar and the Sacramentperfectly dry.

he Eucharistic Miracle of Avignon happened in the church of the Holy Cross,home of the Gray Penitents of the

Franciscan Order, whose founding goes back tothe times of Pious King Louis VIII. At the timeof this miracle, Avignon was considered the center of Christendom and the city’s “Palais desPapes” was home to a series of seven popes. Afterseveral days of heavy rain, the Sorgue and Rhônerivers rose steadily and reached a dangerousheight. Finally, on November 30, 1433, Avignon,was flooded. The friars were certain that their lit-tle church, which stood along the Sorgue, hadbeen destroyed by the raging waters. Fearing thatthe Blessed Sacrament, which was on display forperpetual adoration, had been swept away, thehead of the Order and another friar rowed to theChurch. Getting there was difficult, but when

they finally arrived they found a miracle.Although water around the church was four feethigh, a pathway from the entrance to the altarwas perfectly dry.

The Sacred Host was unscathed. Thepathway from the entrance to the altar called tomind the parting of the Red Sea in Moses’ time,for all along the sides of the Church, water steadily rose, but the pathway remained com-pletely dry. Amazed by what they were seeing,the friars had others from their Order came tothe Church to verify the miracle. The newsspread rapidly, and many people and authoritiescame to the Church, singing songs of praise andof thanks to the Lord. Several hundred peoplewitnessed this miracle. Later on, the GrayPenitents determined that the anniversary of

the miracle would be celebrated every year in the church on the feast day of St. Andrew theApostle. Even today, every November 30th, thebrothers reunite at the Chapelle des PénitentsGris to celebrate the memory of the miracle.Before the blessing of the Holy Sacrament, thebrothers perform a sacred chant taken from theCanticle of Moses, which was composed after theparting of the Red Sea : “I will sing to theLORD, for he is gloriously triumphant… At abreath of your anger the waters piled up, the flo-wing waters stood like a mound, the flood waterscongealed in the midst of the sea… In yourmercy you led the people you redeemed ; in yourstrength you guided them to your holy dwelling.”(Exodus 15, 1-18).

© 2006, Istituto San Clemente I Papa e Martire / The Real Presence Association, Inc.

Eucharistic Miracle of

The Altar where the Miracle took place

Stained-glass window inside the church, depicting the Miracle

Ancient engraving of theMiracle of Avignon

A carved stone describingthe Miracle

Stained-glass windowof the Chapel T

AVIGNONFRANCE, 1433

The news spreadrapidly, and manypeople andauthorities cameto the Church,singing songsof praise andof thanksto the Lord.

Gabriel de Vidaud Latour, the first leader of the Gray Penitents

Cassock of the Gray Penitents

Palace of the Popes, Avignon

Facade of the Chapel of the Gray Penitents

Fresco in the ChapelCanal that runs near the Chapel

Eucharistic Miracle of

© 2006, Istituto San Clemente I Papa e Martire / The Real Presence Association, Inc.