Saint Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, also known as Saint Marguerite-Marie de la Visitation, is a 17th-century French Catholic saint, who was the recipient of many revelations from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She is known for helping to popularize devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and has become an important figure in Catholic spirituality.
Biography
Marguerite-Marie Alacoque was born in 1647 in Verosvres, Burgundy, France. She was the fifth of seven children from a noble family. She lost her father when she was eight years old and was raised by her mother, who was very devout. Marguerite-Marie began her religious life by entering the Order of the Visitation of Saint Mary in 1671.
Reliquary-relic-of-sainte-marguerite-marie-alacoque on Relics.es
In 1673, Marguerite-Marie began to receive visions from the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who instructed her to promote devotion to her heart. She also received messages from Jesus asking her to found a feast in honor of his Sacred Heart. Marguerite-Marie experienced many hardships and sufferings throughout her life, including illnesses, persecution from some members of her own community, and doubts about the visions she had received.
Marguerite-Marie died on October 17, 1690 in Paray-le-Monial, where she had lived most of her religious life. She was canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Marguerite-Marie Alacoque played an important role in popularizing devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This devotion is centered on the love of Jesus Christ for humanity and his compassion for our sufferings and our sins. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus involves prayer, adoration and contemplation of the image of the heart of Jesus Christ, which symbolizes his love and mercy for humanity.
Marguerite-Marie worked to promote devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus throughout her religious life. She wrote devotional letters and books, founded a feast in honor of the Sacred Heart, and encouraged others to worship the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has become an important part of Catholic spirituality, with millions practicing this devotion around the world.
The relics of Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque
The relics of Saint Marguerite-Marie Alacoque are kept in the Chapel of the Visitation in Paray-le-Monial, Burgundy, France, where she lived most of her religious life. The chapel, which was built in 1720, houses a silver reliquary containing the remains of the saint, which were transferred from the crypt of the church of Paray-le-Monial in 1864.
The reliquary is oval in shape and measures approximately 50 centimeters in height. It is decorated with chased silver ornaments, including depictions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The reliquary contains a large part of the bones of Saint Margaret Mary, as well as a relic of the dress she wore when she entered the Order of the Visitation of Saint Mary.
The Chapel of the Visitation is a place of pilgrimage for the faithful who come to honor the saint and pray for her intercession. Every year, thousands of pilgrims visit the chapel to venerate the relics of Saint Margaret Mary and participate in the celebrations of her feast, which takes place on October 16.
relics of Saint Marguerite-Marie are also venerated in other places, notably at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre in Paris. This basilica, which was built at the end of the 19th century to celebrate devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, houses a reliquary containing a small part of the saint's bones. The faithful can venerate this relic when visiting the basilica.
