Apparition of St Joseph at Cotignac, France (1660) – 7 June

Saint of the Day – 7 June – Apparition de St Joseph (José) / Apparition of St Joseph at Cotignac, France – (1660): 7 June

COTIGNAC, FRANCE,
the Cliffside Village of Provence – 1660
VISIONARY: Gaspard Ricard

“To him who thirsts I will give
of the fountain of the water of life, freely.”
Apocalypse 21:6

On 7 June 1660, a shepherd of 22 years of age named Gaspard Ricard, was herding his sheep to the east side of Mount Bessillon near a picture-perfect village, dating to Roman times which isin the Var region of Provence.

It had been a very hot summer thus far and at around lunchtime, the heat grew stronger and the young shepherd found himself struggling to bear it.
He was very tired and thirsty, having already drunk all his water which he had carried with him, he decided to lie down upon the rocky ground
for a rest, when suddenly a tall man stood next to him and pointed to a nearby rock, saying:

“I am Joseph, lift the rock and you will drink.”​

The startled young man saw that the large rock looked heavy, stating that it would take about eight men to move it. He asked how he would be able to do this alone, as there were no other men around besides himself.
St Joseph merely reiterated his instruction to lift the rock.
Gaspard obeyed and, finding himself able to move the rock, found fresh water flowing from underneath it.
He began to drink excitedly and looking up he found that St.Joseph had disappeared.
With haste, he ran into town exclaiming this news to the villagers and within three hours the small spring of water had now become a fountain of overabundant clear and fresh water.​

It is interesting to note that St Joseph had nothing else to say besides his simple instruction to lift the rock and drink.
But, in the absence of words, he has told us much.
Water is the sign of healing and new life in the Church and here we are shown that Joseph pointed to this source of water.
He is given to us as an intercessor, leading us to drink of the Fountain of Life in Jesus Christ our Lord and God.​

Because of these occurrences, King Louis XIV (1638-1715) decreed that day to be a special day of celebration and, after making his own pilgrimage to this holy Fountain, he consecrated France – and, of course, himself – to St Joseph.

These waters which sprang forth in Cotignac, France, would become a sign of hope for many as the waters were found to have miraculous curative properties – for both the body and the soul.
One of the documented miracles which took place at Cotignac was recorded in 1662 by a Priest who had gone there the previous year:​

“The waters of St Joseph bring miracles. Since I returned, a man whom we know from Avignon, born lame, went to the spring and came back cured, having left his crutches there. Everyone drinks and carries away the water.” – Father Allard of the Oratory, 1662.

There is a great deal of wonderful information about the area and the Apparition, on this site:
https://saintjosephdubessillon.wordpress.com/english-version/history/