THE ASCENSION PROCESSION IN ORCIVAL, IN THE AUVERGNE REGION OF FRANCE; ASCENSION DAY
THE ASCENSION PROCESSION IN ORCIVAL, IN THE AUVERGNE REGION OF FRANCE ASCENSIO N DAY 13th MAY NOTRE DAME DES FERS (Our Lady of the Irons (or Shackles)) Orcival is situated in the Auvergne region of France, the most beautiful and historic town, with an ancient church, Notre Dame d’Orcival, in which a truly beautiful black Madonna is situated in a glass case on the altar of the Basilica, brought to the original church more than 1,000 years ago and said to have been carved by St Luke himself. The statue is called “Notre Dame Des Fers” or “Our Lady of the Shackles”, its special place in Catholic history illustrated by the many leg irons and shackles that are hung from the walls of the Basilica. These shackles are the irons of slaves, many of them captured French, Celt or Slavic people. The statue was brought to the primitive church (the church preceding the current Basilica) but was buried at a time when the area was invaded by barbarians. The place where she was buried is called La...