Parisian Revolution

During a time of many revolutions and changes in government in France, the Apparition at Rue du Bac happened on July 18, 1830 at a chapel on Rue du Bac in Paris. Catherine Labourné, a postulate of the Daughters of Charity at Catillon-sur-Seine, was escorted into the chapel by a figure whom she believed to be her guardian angel. Once inside, she saw the Virgin Mary standing before her and talking to her. This apparition occurred twice. Since both occurrences were during 1830, it is important to discuss the historical context of this time period. From 1804 to 1814, Napoleon I ruled, taking as much land as he could. He was trying to form an empire. In 1809, he did capture Moscow, which is around 3000 kilometers away from France. In 1814,

In 1824, he was succeeded by Charles X. After Charles X ruled, Louis-Philippe I ruled, and this lasted from 1824 to 1830. In 1830, he was named King of France. He continued to rule as King of France until 1848, when there was a 3-day Parisian Revolution. This year, 1848, marked the start of the Second Republic. As we can see, there was much discomfort with the government around the time of the apparition, as there were many revolutions, rulers kept changing, and new forms of government were constantly being set up. St. Catherine Labouré, the woman who saw the apparitions, was born on May 2, 1806, two years after Napoleon I took power. She, at a young age, decided to join the Daughters of Charity in Paris, France. If she hadn’t made the choice to join this community, she may not have ever seen the apparitions. One day, she saw a strange figure; she came to the conclusion that this figure was her guardian angel. This figure led her to the chapel at Rue du Bac, which translates to Bac Street, where she saw the

She also explained that devotion to the Sacred Heart would be increasing at the time. Lastly, Catherine was instructed to make a medal out of the apparition, which is now known as the Miraculous Medal. Mary appeared to Catherine during this time period to spread hope and positivity when it was needed. She also showed up to warn about revolution, but to help relieve stress over it too, as she assured Catherine that those who prayed would receive help and grace from God. A few years after the apparitions, a formal investigation was started by Archbishop Hyacinthe-Louis de Quélen of Paris in 1836. During this investigation, however, Catherine wanted to remain anonymous. Fr. Aladel agreed with her for this situation, and asked that she remain anonymous. In the end, because of the confessor's stability and Catherine’s characters, the visions were approved on July 13, 1836 by Archbishop Hyacinthe-Louis de Quélen of Paris. The feast day of the apparition is November 27. This is the date of the second