A
Anonymous
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"Miracles" at Saint-Medard France, 1727-1732
I read about this in "The Mammoth Encyclopedia of the Unsolved" a while back but haven't really found much else about it on the internet. Found this at http://www.nhne.com/windwings/wind4.html
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MASS PSYCHOKINESIS IN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY FRANCE
From "The Holographic Universe" by Michael Talbot
"One of the most remarkable displays of miraculous events ever recorded, took place in Paris in the first half of the eighteenth century. The events centered around a puritanical sect of Dutch-influenced Catholics known as Jansenists, and were precipitated by the death of a saintly and revered Jansenist deacon named Francois de Paris. Although few people living today have even heard of the Jansenist miracles, they were one of the most talked about events in Europe for the better part of a century.
"...Jansenism was founded in the early seventeenth century, and from the start it was at odds with both the Roman Catholic Church and the French monarchy. Many of the beliefs diverged sharply with standard church doctrine, but it was a popular movement and quickly gained followers among the French populace... As a result, both the church and the king were constantly maneuvering to undermine the movement's power. One obstacle to these maneuverings, and one of the factors that contributed to the movement's popularity, was that Jansenist leaders seemed especially skilled at performing miraculous healings... It was on May 1, 1727, at the height of this power struggle, that Francois de Paris died and was interred in the parish cemetery of Saint-Medard, Paris.
"Because of the abbe's saintly reputation, worshippers began to gather at his tomb, and from the beginning a host of miraculous healings were reported. The ailments thus cured included cancerous tumors, paralysis, deafness, arthritis, rheumatism, ulcerous sores, persistent fevers, prolonged hemorrhaging, and blindness. But this was not all. The mourners also started to experience strange involuntary spasms or convulsions and to undergo the most amazing contortions of their limbs. These seizures quickly proved contagious, spreading like a brush fire until the streets were packed with men, women, and children, all twisting and writhing as if caught up in a surreal enchantment.
"It was while they were in this fitful trancelike state that the 'convulsionaires,' as they came to be called, displayed the most phenomenal of their talents. One was the ability to endure without harm an almost unimaginable variety of physical tortures. These included severe beatings, blows from both heavy and sharp objects, and strangulation -- all with no sign of injury, or even the slightest trace of wounds of bruises.
"What makes these miraculous events so unique is that they were witnessed by literally thousands of observers. The frenzied gatherings around Abbe Paris's tomb were by no means short-lived. The cemetery and the streets surrounding it were crowded day and night for years, and even two decades later miracles were still being reported (to give some idea of the enormity of the phenomena, in 1733 it was noted in the public records that over 3,000 volunteers were needed simply to assist the convulsionaires and make sure, for example, that the female participants did not become immodestly exposed during their seizures). As a result, the supernormal abilities of the convulsionaires became an international cause celebre, and thousands flocked to see them, including individuals from all social strata and officials from every educational, religious, and governmental institution imaginable; numerous accounts, both official and unofficial, of the miracles witnessed are recorded in the documents of the time."
"It appears nothing could harm the convulsionaires. They could not be hurt by the blows of metal rods, chains, or timbers. The strongest of men could not choke them. Some were crucified and afterward showed no trace of wounds. Most mind-boggling of all, they could not even be cut or punctured with knives, swords, or hatchets! Louis-Basile Carre de Montgeron [an investigator, noted authority on the subject and member of the Paris Parliament] cites an incident in which the sharpened point of an iron drill was held against the stomach of a convulsionaire and then pounded so violently with a hammer that it seemed 'as if it would penetrate through the spine and rupture all the entrails.' But it didn't, and the convulsionaire maintained an 'expression of perfect rapture,' crying, 'Oh, that does me good! Courage, brother; strike twice as hard, if you can!'
"Invulnerability was not the only talent the Jansenists displayed during their seizures. Some became clairvoyant and were able to 'discern hidden things.' Others could read even when their eyes were closed and tightly bandaged, and instances of levitation were reported. One of the levitators... was so 'forcibly lifted into the air' during his convulsions that even when witnesses tried to hold him down they could not succeed in keeping him from rising off of the ground."
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Anyone have any more accounts, thoughts, ideas etc.?
sureshot
I read about this in "The Mammoth Encyclopedia of the Unsolved" a while back but haven't really found much else about it on the internet. Found this at http://www.nhne.com/windwings/wind4.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASS PSYCHOKINESIS IN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY FRANCE
From "The Holographic Universe" by Michael Talbot
"One of the most remarkable displays of miraculous events ever recorded, took place in Paris in the first half of the eighteenth century. The events centered around a puritanical sect of Dutch-influenced Catholics known as Jansenists, and were precipitated by the death of a saintly and revered Jansenist deacon named Francois de Paris. Although few people living today have even heard of the Jansenist miracles, they were one of the most talked about events in Europe for the better part of a century.
"...Jansenism was founded in the early seventeenth century, and from the start it was at odds with both the Roman Catholic Church and the French monarchy. Many of the beliefs diverged sharply with standard church doctrine, but it was a popular movement and quickly gained followers among the French populace... As a result, both the church and the king were constantly maneuvering to undermine the movement's power. One obstacle to these maneuverings, and one of the factors that contributed to the movement's popularity, was that Jansenist leaders seemed especially skilled at performing miraculous healings... It was on May 1, 1727, at the height of this power struggle, that Francois de Paris died and was interred in the parish cemetery of Saint-Medard, Paris.
"Because of the abbe's saintly reputation, worshippers began to gather at his tomb, and from the beginning a host of miraculous healings were reported. The ailments thus cured included cancerous tumors, paralysis, deafness, arthritis, rheumatism, ulcerous sores, persistent fevers, prolonged hemorrhaging, and blindness. But this was not all. The mourners also started to experience strange involuntary spasms or convulsions and to undergo the most amazing contortions of their limbs. These seizures quickly proved contagious, spreading like a brush fire until the streets were packed with men, women, and children, all twisting and writhing as if caught up in a surreal enchantment.
"It was while they were in this fitful trancelike state that the 'convulsionaires,' as they came to be called, displayed the most phenomenal of their talents. One was the ability to endure without harm an almost unimaginable variety of physical tortures. These included severe beatings, blows from both heavy and sharp objects, and strangulation -- all with no sign of injury, or even the slightest trace of wounds of bruises.
"What makes these miraculous events so unique is that they were witnessed by literally thousands of observers. The frenzied gatherings around Abbe Paris's tomb were by no means short-lived. The cemetery and the streets surrounding it were crowded day and night for years, and even two decades later miracles were still being reported (to give some idea of the enormity of the phenomena, in 1733 it was noted in the public records that over 3,000 volunteers were needed simply to assist the convulsionaires and make sure, for example, that the female participants did not become immodestly exposed during their seizures). As a result, the supernormal abilities of the convulsionaires became an international cause celebre, and thousands flocked to see them, including individuals from all social strata and officials from every educational, religious, and governmental institution imaginable; numerous accounts, both official and unofficial, of the miracles witnessed are recorded in the documents of the time."
"It appears nothing could harm the convulsionaires. They could not be hurt by the blows of metal rods, chains, or timbers. The strongest of men could not choke them. Some were crucified and afterward showed no trace of wounds. Most mind-boggling of all, they could not even be cut or punctured with knives, swords, or hatchets! Louis-Basile Carre de Montgeron [an investigator, noted authority on the subject and member of the Paris Parliament] cites an incident in which the sharpened point of an iron drill was held against the stomach of a convulsionaire and then pounded so violently with a hammer that it seemed 'as if it would penetrate through the spine and rupture all the entrails.' But it didn't, and the convulsionaire maintained an 'expression of perfect rapture,' crying, 'Oh, that does me good! Courage, brother; strike twice as hard, if you can!'
"Invulnerability was not the only talent the Jansenists displayed during their seizures. Some became clairvoyant and were able to 'discern hidden things.' Others could read even when their eyes were closed and tightly bandaged, and instances of levitation were reported. One of the levitators... was so 'forcibly lifted into the air' during his convulsions that even when witnesses tried to hold him down they could not succeed in keeping him from rising off of the ground."
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Anyone have any more accounts, thoughts, ideas etc.?
sureshot
