Travels with Olga: Mont Saint-Michel -- a Vortex of Spiritual Power and Inspiration

As you drive across the flat, grassy plain of Normandy toward Mont Saint-Michel for the first time, you are struck by the approaching horizon that has a strange triangular shape in your center of vision. Like a dream, it suddenly appears as something unusual and mystical. What you don't realize is that this island has attracted pilgrims for centuries, even pre-dating the erection of any buildings. You are in new territory here and unprepared for the magnitude of an unforgettable experience of the spiritual and historical energy of the place.

Mont Saint-Michel has evolved over time and re-shaped itself to meet different needs and situations. It has endured fires, pillage, tumbling building blocks, revolutions, and disrepair not to mention geological phenomena like earthquakes, tides, and soil erosion. You get the feeling that it is meant to be here and that the legends attached to it aren't just myths but a story about the intervention of God through his Archangel Michael. You also realize that this sacred place was not just for the Medieval monks who lived and prayed here, but for us in our own times of war, pestilence, famine, conquest, and death. The story of Mont Saint-Michel is a story of good over evil with Archangel Michael as its protector and guide for what purpose? We don't really know that. We just accept it. That's what faith is.

The Story

Bishop Aubert of Avranches had a dream one night where Archangel Michael told him to build an oratory on top of an island then called Mont Tombe at the mouth of the Couesnon River in Normandy. Aubert passed it off as an adverse effect from eating too much cheese and oysters earlier that day.

On the second night, the Archangel visited Aubert again and told him to clear the local island of its ‘pagan’ residents and build a sanctuary like the one at Mt. Gargano, an island on the eastern coast of Italy where the Archangel appeared to Bishop, St. Laurence Maioranus of Siponto in 490. Aubert complained that it would be difficult because the pagans who had been on Mont Tombe for a long time would resist any attempt to relocate.

On the third night the Archangel showed up once again and before Aubert could say anything, he touched the side of Aubert's head with his finger, and disappeared. Aubert now knew he had to build a sanctuary. This wall sculpture depicts the Archangel's third apparition to Bishop Aubert.

In 708 Aubert did indeed build a small oratory on the upper slope of the island. Meanwhile, he sent two monks on an 500-mile walk to Mont Gargano to bring back some relics for the oratory, which turned out to be a rock Archangel Michael's foot had touched and a piece of his coat. Mont Gargano was the first place in western Europe where Archangel Michael had appeared. His cult had been going on in the East for quite some time until it came to Italy in 490.

On October 16, 709, Aubert finished the oratory and named it Mont-Saint-Michel.

Bishop Aubert is buried on the island and was made a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on September 10. And his skull? It is preserved at Saint-Gervais Basilica in Avranches--complete with a hole on the spot the Archangel’s finger had touched. Skeptics claim that the hole was caused by trepanning, the deliberate drilling of a hole into the skull to treat intracranial diseases or release pressured blood buildup from an injury. Nevertheless, stories of miracles circulated that were attributed to the skull.

Monks lived at the Mont and pilgrims kept coming to it until the Vikings captured it in 847. The monks fled but the local population remained. Rollo, the first Viking ruler of Normandy, repaired the Mont's damages from the war and invited the monks to return, which they did. However, his wealth and support diverted the monks' attention from a solitary and prayerful religious life to one of pleasure, food, travel, and hunting, sometimes with local nobles.

Richard I, a descendant of the Vikings and the Duke of Normandy (942-996), tried changing the monks' profligate ways but failed. So, he replaced them with Benedictine monks in 966. His ultimate interest in Mont Saint-Michel was to legitimize his power and authority in Normandy by building a spiritual center in the midst of all his defensive castles in the region.

By the 11th century, the Mont had become so popular that it needed to be enlarged to accommodate all the monks and pilgrims. Richard II (996-1026) expanded the buildings on the Mont and built a Romanesque abbey with the transept laying across the top of it. Many underground crypts and chapels were built to sustain its weight. These also provided passageways for the monks to carry on with their religious lives without having contact with the pilgrims who visited the Mont. Richard also helped the monks by giving them islands in Chaussey in 1022, which provided an inexhaustible supply of granite for buildings. (This granite was also used at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.)

Other buildings were constructed in 1076 thanks to the Duke of Normandy, William the Conquerer, who donated money for the Abbey.

In truth, Mount Saint-Michel is a reflection of feudal society's hierarchy with each floor organized according to its different function. On top is God, then the Abbey and cloister. The second floor held the refectory, housing for pilgrims, and the "Knights Room", a place for reading and studying. At the bottom outside the walls was the fishermen's and farmers' housing.

The Cloister

The monks' religious vows and practices of daily community life required that they separate themselves from the world. However, Mont Sainte-Michel was a pilgrimage destination where lay people came for spiritual enlightenment and inspiration. The 11th century design of the Mont provided the monks with passageways that kept them hidden from the pilgrims. However, the problem of the day was that the Mont was in the hands of the English who had conquered Normandy.

In 1204, King Philippe-Auguste of France wanted to kick the English out of Normandy. His ally, Guy of Thouars, Duke of Brittany, undertook a siege of the Mont-Saint-Michel, and when it did not surrender, he set fire to the village, massacred the population, and damaged the Abbey significantly. Afterward, horrified by all of this destruction, Philippe-Auguste offered Abbot Jourdain money for the re-construction of the Mont with a cloister and Gothic-style architecture, which was popular in Western Europe at that time. Known as the "Merveille" or "The Marvel of the West", this project was completed in 1228.

The cloister separated the monks from the pilgrims with passages to the Abbey, the residence, kitchen, storehouses, refectory, and sanctuary. It also meant to call the monks to a place of prayer and meditation in the midst of fragrances of herbs, flowers, and the sea. This Flicker photo by Jorge Láscar shows the space between the columns where the monks sat on the benches facing the garden for meditation.

A cloister is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle. It was an imitation of the atrium of the Roman villa that provided access to all the essential rooms. This one at the Mont was built according to the Rule of St. Benedict, the Church's first monastic order that was started in the 5th century.

The monks' refectory where they ate their meals was located on the north side of the Mont while the pilgrims' area was on the south side. The monks' kitchen, residence, and store houses were also on the south side. The refectory has 59 large windows that distribute the light.

The pilgrims' hall. These pillars were originally Romanesque. When the choir was rebuilt 1446-1521, each pillar was enclosed by Gothic "skin". The pillars, which are 16 feet in circumference, supported the choir on the floor above.

Some of the features of the Abbey are arched stairwells and mystical corridors, and a tribute to the craftsmen that made Mont Saint-Michel possible.

Pilgrims of the Middle Ages liked to bring back souvenirs from Mont Saint-Michel as a memory--and as proof to others--of their journey. The souvenirs included medals, rings, bells, whistles, horns, and most interestingly, these metal figurines of St. Michael that were made from molds. The first St. Michael figures were dressed in a Roman toga. The medieval ones were dressed in armor.

In the 12th century, Abbot Robert Torigni (abbot: 1149-1181) built two towers. It is believed that the Scriptorium was placed there. A pious monk, an accomplished diplomat, a skilled organizer and a great lover and collector of books, Robert made the Mont a great center of learning with sixty monks producing copious manuscripts and a library collection so vast it was called the Cité des Livres (City of Books). Robert's other great accomplishment was "Chronography", where he recorded the history of the Mont as well as what was going on in Europe during 1154-86 thanks to his friendships with Henry II and Sigebert de Gembloux.

With each new abbot, new ideas for the Mont emerged. One particular idea was to build another building next to the cloister in order to make it the centre of the Merveille, but this plan was scrapped by the Abbot Robert Turstin in 1236. He wanted to secure more power in the region, so he made the Mont a fortress by fortifying the gate on the island's east side, constructing a wall around the houses below, and building the Belle Chaise to administer justice. On the north side, this same rampart is preserved.

Below are models of Mont Saint-Michel's development.

A spire was added in the 14th century making Mont Saint-Michel soar 302 feet into the sky.

St. Michael slayed the Dragon (symbol of Satan) in the fight of good over evil, and he protects souls on their way to paradise.

When the Reformation began in 1550, the popularity and prestige of Mont Saint-Michel as a pilgrimage center began to decline. Monks in residence became fewer and fewer. During the French Revolution, the government abolished religious vows and monastic orders and made the Mont state property. So in 1791 the abbey closed. Initially, the Mont was converted into a prison for 300 priests who refused to make the loyalty oath to the republican regime. In the 19th century other prisoners were added including political prisoners and common law prisoners. Between 1793 and 1863, a total of 14,000 prisoners had served time at the Mont.

To accommodate all these prisoners, everything had to be transformed. Workshops, refectories, and dorms were built within the Merveille, and the nave was outfitted with three levels of dorms. The conditions at the Mont were terrible. It was a "penal Hell", an assault on the beauty of its art and architecture, and a far cry from its original spiritual purpose. After 50 years as a prison, the buildings were very badly damaged, rooms partitioned, frescoes destroyed, and little or no maintenance done.

Napoleon III (1808-73) closed the prison and transferred the 650 prisoners to other facilities. Key to this decision was that sediments had built up in one of the rivers and changed its course thus preventing supplies from being transported from the mainland to the Mont. Influential people like author Victor Hugo launched campaigns to restore Mont Saint-Michel (as well as the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris) and to regard it as a national architectural treasure. The government eventually agreed to this proposal in 1863 and officially placed Mont Saint-Michel under the guardianship of the Office for Historical Monuments in 1874. A "save the ruins" campaign was also held to raise money to clean up and refurbish the Abbey.

Then, in a kind of victorious gesture, a statue of St. Michael made by Emmanuel Frémiet was erected in 1897. It stands on top of the spire and is 9 feet high and weighs 1,765 pounds. It has an iron structure covered with copper leaves and a layer of gold. Its first restoration took place in 1987 and its second on March 15, 2016. Although the statue is symbolic of the archangel whose name the Mont bears, it is actually a lightning rod that draws lightning to the tips of the Archangel's sword and wings.

In 1979, UNESCO declared Mont Saint-Michel one of the most important sites of medieval Christian civilization and named it a World Heritage site. Today, over 2 million pilgrims and tourists visit the Mont each year. The Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem have taken up residence there for a life of prayer, Mass, and solitude and they have restored it to its original purpose.

The Abbey

The climb to the Abbey, is 300 steps upward, although it is not as difficult as it sounds due to the twists and turns of the landings and windows that look out onto the sea below. Once at the top, the Abbey is truly an awesome experience that exudes the deeply spiritual quality of this place.

King Louis XI of France (1423-83) loved the Mont and visited it five times. He also made generous donations. In 1421 the Romanesque choir collapsed and he financed its rebuilding in Flamboyant-Gothic style between 1446-1523. The windows are 65-82 feet long and emanate light from multiple windows.

The monks sat in the choir close to the altar, and the pilgrims sat in the area adjacent to the choir. The length of the nave extends 115 feet and was reconstructed beyond its Romanesque past of heavy stone and arches to a Gothic style that distributes its weight more evenly.

The half-circle dome looks like a crown with rays of fire (a.k.a. the Holy Spirit) descending over the altar as the light plays off of the stone. In Western art, the symbolism of the square (rectangular nave) leading to a circle (half-sphere) indicates passage from one world to another. It was meant to impress the pilgrims who came to the Mont for spiritual inspiration. Behind the choir is a circle of small chapels.

The altar, bathed in light, exhibits a magnificence that reminds those who pray there of their smallness. This Gothic-style architecture was completed in 1228.

The Abbey was originally modeled on Norman churches of the time with thick pillars and arches, and a wooden ceiling. Above the windows, large arches distribute the weight of the building. The Abbey is a replica of Charlemagne's churches, which were modeled on Roman basilicas that create side aisles or naves separated by pillars.

Archangel Michael slaying the dragon is placed prominently on the front-left side of the choir. The carving below features the dragon, which is located in the cloister.

This small crucifix was the only one I could find in the chapel, and it was on a high wall over an arch on the left side of the sanctuary.

This elegant 13th century wooden polychrome image of the Virgin and Infant Jesus was also a popular theme of the time. It was placed on a platform on the side wall. The 12th and 13th centuries in western Europe saw tremendous growth and development in the cult of the Virgin through writers, theologians, and artists.

Although Mont Saint-Michel was completed in 1523, restoration work continues.

The Town

There is only one street on the Mont and it is long, narrow, and typically filled with the crush of people moving to and fro among a host of restaurants and souvenir shops. However, the island also functions as any town with a city hall, post office, and a permanent population. Today, there are about 30 residents who mostly handle the tourist trade.

La Mère Poulard is a popular restaurant at the Mont whose specialty is omelettes. It, too, has a story.

In 1872 Mont Saint-Michel was placed under the guardianship of the office for historical monuments, and Edouard Corroyer, the historic monuments’ chief architect, was entrusted with restoring the Abbey after 50 years as a prison.

Édouard would make many trips from Paris to the Mont, and he brought his wife, daughter and their maid, 21-year-old Annette Boutiaut. As they arrived one grey evening by horse drawn cart, the tide was rising fast and a young man, Victor Poulard, carried Annette to dry land. Victor was the son of the Mont’s baker, and he instantly decided he wanted to marry Annette, the family's maid. On January 4, 1873 Victor and Annette were married.

Édouard and his wife helped Victor and Annette set up a business running one of the three hostels on the Mont called La Tête d’Or. Meanwhile, news about the Abbey spread in Paris and scholars, archaeologists, and pilgrims began coming to the Mont to see it. Annette recognized that these new visitors needed to be fed and quickly, so she began preparing omelettes with Normandy's famous butter. The Poulard hostel became very popular as a result.

Victor and Annette opened an auberge in 1888, and it was an instant success. Annette cooked omelettes over an open fire in full view of the street (as they still are today).

Victor was mayor of Mont Saint-Michel for many years, and the couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with a big party in 1923. Victor died later that year, and Annette died in 1931. The couple’s tomb is in Église St-Pierre, halfway up the Mont.

La Mere Poulard has welcomed many famous visitors including King Edward VII, Maurice Chevalier, Leon Trotsky, Christian Dior, Ernest Hemingway, Robert Capa, several French presidents, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, and Marilyn Monroe.

Mont Saint-Michel Today

Second only to Santiago de Compostelle in Spain, Mont-Saint Michel was an important pilgrimage of faith during the Middle Ages. But it was difficult getting there because of the tides and the quicksand between the island and the mainland. Today, the trek to the island is made simpler with buses driving over a permanent bridge every five minutes. And, they are free.

While 2.5 million visitors come to the Mont every year, the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem maintains a prayerful presence as the Mont was originally intended. Founded in Paris in 1975, the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem were established at Mont Saint-Michel in June 2001. Living in two independent communities, five monks and seven nuns gather three times a day to celebrate the Divine Offices (daily community prayer). In warmer weather, they pray in the Abbey church; in winter they use the little underground chapel called Notre-Dame des Trente Cierges (Our Lady of the 30 Candles). The Divine Office begins with Lauds at dawn, Mass at midday, and Vespers in the early evening around 6 p.m. Sung in polyphonic chant, these Offices reflect several traditions between Eastern and Western Christianity and are open to visitors just passing through as well as pilgrims who have come specially to pray at Mt. St. Michel.

Mont St. Michel provided me with an incredible visit--really, a pilgrimage--one that I had been wanting to make for a long time. Yet, being there didn't seem like a dream. Rather, it felt as natural as could be.

The Mont's construction and its survival after many political and economic changes over time are nothing short of a miracle. And yet, its continual draw of millions of people each year is a testament to its spiritual power. These days with the world in tremendous political and economic turmoil--not to mention the Covid pandemic and changes in the climate--it seems we need Archangel Michael to protect us more than ever. Here is a prayer that can give us a start.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Resources

The Abbey of Mt. St. Michel

https://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/en/discover/visit-the-mont-saint-michel/visit-the-mont-saint-michel/the-abbey-of-mont-saint-michel/

Normandy Then and Now