OUR LADY OF POWER AND THE MIRACLE OF THE RAIN

Feast Day - May 12

Aubervilliers, France

The Church of Notre-Dame-des-Vertus, a 14th century church in Aubervilliers; the very location that witnessed so many miracles during the Middle Ages. 

This Church was originally known as the Church of Saint Christopher, soon, the name was changed to honour the Mother of God in recognition of the graces and miracles obtained there due to her intervention.

The first miracle was recorded on May 14th, 1336. It was the Miracle of the Rain. During a time of terrible drought, a Lass entered the church of Saint Christopher with flowers to adorn the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. While imploring Our Lady to send rain to save the crops, the girl suddenly noticed that the statue became covered with what appeared to be drops of sweat and the sky turned dark as Rain began.

The inhabitants of the parish, who were alerted by the sound of the Church Bell,  trooped into the church, to see the wonder and give thanks to God for this miracle. This incident convened the pilgrimages to the church almost immediately. These pilgrimages were encouraged by the authorities of the Church, as well as by the example of the many distinguished visitors and the continued miracle happening in the Church: like that of two children who were brought back to life.

The Archbishop of Paris approved the celebration of the feast on the second Tuesday of May, the month of Mary. The small sanctuary was later replaced by a more imposing church whose construction started in the fifteenth Century.

The miraculous wooden statue of Our Lady of Power was desecrated and burned on October 12, 1793, during the ravages of the French Revolution.