Following the best lunch I ever had, Nadine, Baptiste and I did a little exploring. This time, Nadine selected the destination--the beautiful town of Paray-le-Monial. Less than eight miles from Digoin, this village boasts a spectacular Romanesque basilica, the church of the Sacre Coeur, a place of pilgrimage. While we wandered the town we actually encountered three pilgrims headed toward the church.
The town is also the site of apparitions of Jesus before St. Marguerite Marie Alacoque. An intensely religious nun, she devoted herself to the Sacred Heart. The Apparitions Chapel,
built originally in 1633 and renovated in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, is located close to the City Hall,
and a few blocks from the Basilica.
This magnificent building is situated on the site of a 10th century chapel. Construction began in the 12th century and concluded in the 14th century, with additional construction in the 18th and 19th centuries. It's beautiful, but stark. As we entered the sanctuary, it became clear there was a wedding in progress. The sanctuary is so massive, that one could look around quite unobtrusively. We actually made our way up to side of the church near the altar.
People were dressed "to the nines" including women wearing fascinators. There was a small choir and a song leader conducting the congregation in song during the service. It was really quite lovely. We left as unobtrusively as we could, hugging the side of the sanctuary as we departed, and made our way across the river while we watched the wedding party empty out of the church.
The town had a crsip and clean feeling to it.
As we had experienced the night before, the town was still humming along as dusk fell.
Paray le Monial is a beautiful town. I'm so grateful to Nadine and Baptiste for sharing it with me.
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