Basilica Notre-Dame de Bon Help of Lablachère

With approximately two kilometers in the south-east of the church of Lablachère, on the road of Ales, it was formed a village since the foundation of the pilgrimage of Notre-Dame de Bon Help, who bears the same name.

This place, formerly named Raze, the culminating point of the country, deserted, was covered with wood of oaks pushing between anfractuosities of the rocks limestones.

The wish of Julien Gineste

Julien Gineste , Sieur de Lisle, born with Montredon, hamlet of Lablachère, on February 26th, 1641, wire of Gaspard Gineste, gendarme of the guard of the king, remained with bets where he had married noble young lady Marie-Anne de Paulet. Being withdrawn from the service, it came to live in its paternal house where it dealt with medicine.

These two husbands, strong pious, had brought a statue of the Holy-Virgin to place it and honor it in their residence.

One day, Sieur de Lisle, energy to see a patient with the district of Raze, its horse falling down and was taken in the clamps, without it was possible for him to get clear, nor its horse to be raised. Seeing all its unfruitful efforts and the situation becoming critical, it made the wish raise in this place a vault and place its statue there. At the moment, the horse was raised and been able to carry on its road.

Once drawn from the danger, Sieur de Lisle did not think any more of its wish, when the following year, passing by again at the same place, its horse fell down again in a crack of the rock and it was in the same danger. Remembering its wish then, it renewed it with promise not to differ to achieve it and at once it was released.

The vault Notre-Dame de Bon Help

Faithful this time to its promise, it made build at the place even a small narrow and oblong vault, lit by an attic window, the whole having a surface of sixteen square meters. It there transported its statue and put the vault under the term of Notre-Dame de Bon Help.

The constitutive instrument had spent two years after the first wish, Sieur de Lisle being then 39 years old, owe Maître Rodilly, on May 10th, 1680. The permission of the bishop is dated May 5th previous. The founders reserve the nomination of the chaplain, who was Jean Rodilly cleaned of Lablachère.

February 17th, 1713, Sieur de Lisle being widowed, gave him for successor Mr. Daurebonne, priest of Lablachère.

The first stone of construction was posed and blessed the day of the branches, March 22nd, 1682, by the aforementioned Rodilly, cleaned, and the completed vault was bénite by the same one, delegated by Monseigneur on September 8th of the same year.

The priests of Lablachère managed the vault of 1682 to 1777, saying only three masses to it per annum.

After the death of Sieur de Lisle, the count de Chanaleilles of Saumès, obtained from the son of Lisle, the patronage and the key of the vault.

This one seeing that after more than one hundred years since the foundation, the contest of faithful was always increasing and that the miracles were more frequent, requested the bishop to grant a priest to serve the vault exclusively. Monseigneur sent Jean-Pierre Richard for chaplain in title, which took possession on August 1st, 1777. He had been fortunately selected, pertaining to a family of Rosières, which had the ground on which had been built the vault like all the neighborhoods. He put himself at once to clear the grounds and yielded some pieces of them where houses are built.

The first church

Then it dealt with building a church and a presbytery and during work it accepted hospitality with the castle of Saumès.

This work began in 1783.

This new vault or church, though very small, was with three naves. Perhaps badly built, closed during the French revolution, badly maintained, sixty years later she threatened already ruin.

Mr. Richard had to suffer much during the revolution, obliged to hide, having been denounced by one of his furious parents to see that it devoted all his fortune to the work of Good Help. Decree, conduit with Joyeuse, it fur returned with freedom by the intervention of all the population of the city.

The second church

In 1829, though old, he undertook the construction of a new church, on a level imposing and worthy of a pilgrimage become famous, but its arrived death in January 1830 left hardly started work.

Mr. the Abbot Jean-Antoine Boisson, who had been given to him as coadjutor, became in 1830 the second chaplain of Good Help. He continued his work which he could not see completed, having died on August 24th, 1835, 66 years old.

At once after his death, Mr. the Deschanels Abbot, of the parish of Payzac became the third and last chaplain, the pilgrimage having been by decision of Monseigneur Guibert, bishop of Fish ponds, having entrusted to the Oblats Fathers of Marie-Immaculate, who completed the church, made a beautiful bell-tower and many embellishments. On the bell-tower they draw up a statue of the Virgin, reproduction of the Miraculous Medal, which faces the Cevennes mountain in an undulating landscape where vines and olive-trees point out its Galileo to him native. In its back, extends the scrubland, true forest of rocks and shrubs where antiques dolmens are drawn up. Mr. Deschanels made build a house close to the church where he died and was buried in Payzac. Under the administration of these various priests and chaplains the village increases and one establishes there an institution of brothers and a community of Carmelite nuns, but not without great difficulties.

In 1855, the church is devoted by Mgr Eugene de Mazenod, Evêque of Marseilles and founder of Oblats of Marie-Immaculate.

It had run out two centuries, on May 10th, 1880, since the day of the constitutive instrument of the vault and the more and more attended pilgrimage.

Monseigneur Bonnet, the dedicated bishop of Fish ponds, judged that the moment had sometimes happened to devote the worship of the Holy-Virgin to Notre-Dame de Bon Help in a bright and so to speak official way in all its diocese.

By its mandement it invited all the faithful ones to take part in a subscription to make gift with Notre-Dame of a brilliant crown which would be placed solemnly on the head of the statue in the presence of Its Eminence Monseigneur the Guibert cardinal, archbishop of bets, former bishop of Fish ponds, assisted many prelates and in the middle of the convened populations of all the diocese. This festival was fixed at the August 21st and 22nd 1880.

Times were not however favorable, the spirits were agitated and disturbed by the iniquitous decrees pursueing the religious congregations. Monseigneur Bonnet judged that it was not necessary to move back, that more the faith ran of dangers more it was necessary that each one freely could and publicly to confess it.

Monseigneur was right, the festival was splendid in spite of the obstacles and vexations of certain mayors inter alia those of Lablachère and Joyeuse. Thirty thousand people acclaimed the glory of the mother of the saver.

Little time after, on November 4th, 1880, took place the expulsion of the Fathers.

The basilica

In 1930, the church is high with the row of minor Basilica. Since 1995, the pilgrimage is animated by the priests of the diocese. A House diocésaine is built as from 1936, opposite the sanctuary for the reception of been engaged and think tank and exchanges. Entrusted to the Sisters of Joseph Saint, they ensure the reception of pilgrims it, reprocessing and various meetings and sessions. (Text extracts from the articles of the Viscount L. of Montravel.)

Visit basilica

While penetrating in the Basilica of Notre Dame de Bon Help, the glance is immediately attracted by the furnace bridge - symbol of the Christ - who receives the light of in top. He tells us the central place which Eucharistie in the Christian life holds.

By a déambulatoire which makes the turn of the building, we are led towards the statue of the Virgin Mary (1680). It introduces his son to us who, of the left hand holds the World and which, of the right hand, index raised, us teaches. A sceptre with the hand, because Queen of Peace, it outlines a step towards that or that which comes to its meeting to entrust its sorrows or its joys to him.

In our walk towards Marie, we are not alone: in the Nave Holy Women, virgins and martyrs, the Saints founders, the Saints Priests and Bishops; in the chorus, the vault is decorated mysteries of the life of Marie and Jesus: Marie venerated by the angels, the Presentation of Marie, the Visitation, the Presentation of Jesus, the Crowning of Marie to the Sky, the Annunciation, the Nativity, Jesus found with the temple, the Rise of Marie to the Sky.

Along the déambulatoire, the number impressing of confessionals installed in 1862, recalls us that our life full with obstacles moving away us from God like our brothers, the reconciliation is offered to us permanently. Above the main door, Saint Pierre and Saint Paul announce with all the people the Good news of the Love, returning us ourselves to our mission of peacemakers in the World which we find while leaving.

On the left while leaving, a black marble plate mentions that the church is set up in Minor Basilica.

A black marble plate at the entry of the vault of the Virgin evokes the dedication of the church by Mgr Eugene de Mazenot, since then canonized.

The considerable number of ex-voto recovering the pillars of the nave, testify to some of the graces obtained by the intercession of the Virgin.

Primitive vault remain only the statue out of wooden of the Virgin and a stone embedded in one of the pillars of the chorus.

Two tomb stones contain the bodies of the first two chaplains. : the Richard father on the left and the father Drink on the right.

House diocésaine

The sisters of Joseph Saint of Vans arrive at Lablachère in 1845 for a school at the locality “Toll”, where they will be present until 1969.

In 1846, they also come to “Confidence” to the locality “Notre Dame” to replace the Carmelite nuns who occupied the house since 1839.

The Sisters open a boarding school and deal with spiritual retirements. The property will be sold in 1874 to become the Hotel of the Crown.

The Brothers of Fish ponds occupied current Maison Joseph Saint where they remained until 1843. In 1856, the Sisters of Joseph Saint are tenants of the house of the Brothers and become owners in October 1871 about it. A boarding school is open in 1882. The school closes in 1901.

Since 1885, there is also in the house of the older sisters, then thereafter of the old ladies. Since the arrival of the sisters, the house is and a spiritual reception place of retreat of groups. The reception of the pilgrims will be very important for one long period.

The sisters have also various activities in bond with Oblats arrived in 1846 at Notre Dame de Bon Help. The work of retirements and récollections for all the ages and all the states of life (and in particular the retirements of been engaged and young hearths) takes such an importance that the Bishop of Fish ponds makes build in 1936 a house for this purpose in the enclosure of the sisters: it is current Maison Diocésaine, inaugurated on September 8th, 1939. In 1948, during the union of 6 congregations Joseph Saint to form the congregation Saint Joseph de Viviers, the presence of the sisters is maintained for the reception of the pilgrims and the retirements, the maintenance and the ornamentation of the sanctuary in bond with Oblats. In 1992, the Church diocésaine by the voice of its Bishop presents a project of establishment of the “Community which can take part in the pastoral animation of the zone of Bas-Vivarais”. This community would have 3 missions: reception, formation, animation and coordination of pastoral work.

In 1993, four sisters of different congregations settle in Notre Dame. Work is completed for the presence of a community of older sisters. In 1995, a convention is signed for two years between the Bishop and the Institute of the Sisters of Joseph Saint.

In 2002, the community includes/understands three members. The mission of 1992 continues with some modifications for the mission of animation and coordination. The mission of reception widens. Today, the Diocésaine House of Notre Dame de Bon Help is:

a crossroads of meetings for the nondenominational movements and services, groups;
a place of individual reception, couples, pilgrims;
a place of individual resourcing or in group: weekend of prayer, spiritual retirements, days desert, make-ready time to the sacraments, pilgrimages;
a place of formation: biblical and theological formation, testimonys and debates:
a place of opening to Universal by the reception of often international groups of formation.

There is a deposit of the Saint Paul Bookstore into 1994 which proposes: books, Bibles, works on the sacraments or theology, testimonys, compilations of texts, reviews, books for the children and young people… And also: icons, medals, chains, postcards, audio cassettes and CD. Capacity of reception: 30 rooms, meeting rooms from 10 to 120 places.

Expulsion of the Oblats Fathers in 1880

November 4th, 1880, the prefect of Ardeche Edmond Robert (1879-1881), arrived at Notre-Dame de Bon Help accompanied by several gendarmerie squads to make the seat of the house of the Oblats Fathers of Marie-Immaculate and to drive out some.

At dawn, the alarm bell sounded and the populations of the neighborhoods arrived. A certain number of notable were locked up with the Fathers, crowd massing with the accesses of the monastery. She accommodates the gendarmes with the cries of " Live Pères" , " Live the gendarmes" , to which one testifies to sympathy because it is enough to see their attitude to understand that they obey regret with the orders which they received.

The police superintendent summons the Fathers to open and on the formal refusal which is made to him, it gives the order named to the Lucien Jouve metal worker to Largentière, François Lèbre and Theodore Vesseau, Joyeuse carpenters, to hook the lock or to insert the door with blows of axe. The Lèbre woman runs and forcing the line of gendarmes seizes her husband and involves it with the frantic applause of crowd. Theodore Vesseau only continues his sad work, overpowered by the curses.

The prefect, during this time remains locked up in his car and sees ravelling in front of him the Fathers carried in triumph, with the cries of " Live Pères" , " Live the religion" , Has low the torturers, the tyrants, the infamous decrees, live Oblats, they will return.

Indeed, after a few months, the Fathers recognized to make the service of an authorized vault a little too late took again little by little their property and their functions.

These useless violences were used only to revive the faith and to attract in Notre-Dame de Bon Help, a number always crescent of pilgrims.

Text extracts from the articles of the Viscount L. of Montravel.

External bonds

Notre-Dame de Bon Help

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