St. Michael leaves Mont-Saint-Michel… for now.
For years the famous Mont-Saint-Michel off the coast of France has been undergoing a lot of work. Le Figaro has a story about the dismounting of the gilded statue of St. Michael from the pinnacle of the island town, from it’s monastic church’s steeple. It will be restored.
There is some very cool video – alas preceded by annoying obligatory ads – followed by some other items.
From the article (you can translate it yourselves):
C’est la première fois, depuis sa dernière restauration en 1987, que l’archange de 520 kg qui culmine à 156 m au-dessus de la mer, est décroché. La restauration, prévue elle pendant deux mois, doit coûter 450.000 euros. «L’or a disparu, a expliqué François Jeanneau, architecte en chef des Monuments historiques. Sur l’archange, on voit l’usure due au vent chargé de sable. Le cuivre devient apparent. Il faut donc rénover l’œuvre pour la conserver», a-t-il ajouté.
L’archange en cuivre doré, arrivé en 1897 au sommet de l’abbaye, n’a été restauré que deux fois dans son histoire. Outre l’opération de 1987, la statue a aussi fait l’objet de réparations en 1935, mais sans décrochage. Seuls quelques éléments avaient été démontés pour être réparés, précise le Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN) qui gère l’abbaye.
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A fantastic place. Go. If possible on foot, at low tide, across the mudflats WITH A GUIDE (NB). A very allegorical pilgrimage walk with the odd bank of mist and fog thrown in.
For another unmissable “strong” pilgrimage in France, take part in the Paris to Chartres walk – a three day, 70 mile march from Notre Dame de Paris to Notre Dame de Chartres on Pentecost weekend each year, with TLMs in both and along the day, attended by around 10,000 traditional Catholics from around the world who make the journey specially. There is a US chapter. The organizers of the Walk are Notre Dame de Chretiente. Your feet will feel the fires of purgatory (no kidding) but long after your blisters have healed your heart will still be singing – until next Pentecost and beyond.
My attempt at translation – my French is little rusty so perhaps others can refine it:
It is the first time since the last restoration in 1987 that the 520 kg archangel which culminates at 156m above the sea has been taken down. The restoration foreseen to take 2 months, cost 450,000 Euros. “The gold had disappeared” explained Francois Jeanneau, architect and head of historic monuments. “one sees wearing due to the sand in the wind. The copper was exposed. It was necessary to renovate the work to save it” he added.
The archangel in gilded copper arrived in 1897 at the top of the abbey, had only been renovated 2 times in its history, Beyond the work of 1987, the statue was also the object of repair in 1935, but without being taken down. Only certain elements have needed to be taken down to be repaired, specified the Center of National Monuments (CMN) which manages the abbey.