From St. Louis de Montfort's "Secret of the Rosary:"
BLANCHE OF CASTILLE, Queen of France, was deeply grieved because twelve years after her marriage she was still childless. When Saint Dominic went to see her he advised her to say her Rosary every day to ask God for the grace of motherhood, and she faithfully carried out his advice. In 1213 she gave birth to her eldest child, Philip, but the child died in infancy.
The Queen's fervor was nowise dulled by this disappointment; on the contrary, she sought Our Lady's help more than ever before. She had a large number of Rosaries given out to all members of the court and also to people in several cities of the Kingdom, asking them to join her in entreating God for a blessing that this time would be complete. Thus, in 1215, Saint Louis was born----the prince who was to become the glory of France and the model of all Christian kings.
The Queen's fervor was nowise dulled by this disappointment; on the contrary, she sought Our Lady's help more than ever before. She had a large number of Rosaries given out to all members of the court and also to people in several cities of the Kingdom, asking them to join her in entreating God for a blessing that this time would be complete. Thus, in 1215, Saint Louis was born----the prince who was to become the glory of France and the model of all Christian kings.
Been there: stumbled across it twenty years ago while wondering around Île de la Cité. If memory serves, access was via the Prefecture de Police after first going through a metal detector. It's worth the trouble, absolutely stunning, but since no masses are celebrated there (as far as I know) there is also a sad, emptiness to the place.
ReplyDeleteI'd forgotten about the Prefecture de Police, but you're right about that. You're right, also, about the sadness. Blame the Revolution for that.
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