Croix de Provence, a protective Cross
The Croix de Provence is located at an altitude of 948 metres at the western end of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, near Aix-en-Provence.
Standing 18.25 metres tall, it acts as a beacon, visible from afar.
It was erected in 1875 thanks to a fundraising campaign launched by Father Meissonier, the parish priest of the village of Rousset.
The creation of the cross was financed by contributions from the 104 parishes of the diocese of Aix, Arles, and Embrun, and it was installed during a severe smallpox epidemic that ravaged the region.
The Croix de Provence also brought comfort to the population after France’s defeat by the Prussians in 1871, thus becoming the protector of the region.
The Archbishop of Aix officially blessed it on May 18, 1875, in the presence of 3,000 faithful donors.
Croix de Provence’s various dedications
The base of the cross is adorned with the names of the subscribers and the 104 parishes that contributed to its creation, as well as four inscriptions.
To the east, facing Rome, the inscription is engraved in Latin:
“Dieu très bon, très grand, ô Croix, force de Dieu et la nôtre, salut ! Puisse votre lumière si douce aux cœurs qui aiment Jésus, et si miséricordieux à ceux qui, hélas, ne l’aiment pas, resplendir au loin”
“God very good, very great, O Cross, God’s strength and ours, salutations! May your light so sweet to the hearts who love Jesus, and merciful to those who, alas, do not like it, shine in the distance”
To the north, facing Paris, the inscription is engraved in French:
“Croix de Provence, bénite par Monseigneur Théodore-Augustin Forcade, Archevêque d’Aix, Arles et Embrun le 18 mai 1875” – “Croix de Provence, blessed by Monsignor Theodore-Augustin Forcade, Archbishop of Aix, Arles and Embrun on May 18, 1875”
Orientée vers le sud, en direction de Marseille, port d’origine phénicienne, l’inscription est gravée en grec :
“Voici, matelots, votre phare, négociants, votre gain, travailleurs, votre repos et votre richesse” – “Here is, sailors, your beacon, dealers, your gain, workers, your rest and wealth”
To the west, facing Aix-en-Provence, the inscription is engraved in Occitan:
“Ô Croix, salut ! Source d’éternelle lumière, avec le sang d’un Dieu, ô testament écrit, la Provence à tes pieds s’inclina la première. Protège la Provence, ô croix de Jésus-Christ” – “O Cross, salutations! Source of eternal light, with the blood of God, O written will, Provence was the first to bow in front of you. Protect Provence, O Cross of Jesus Christ”
Restoration of the cross
In 2002 and 2003, lightning damaged the cross. Its restoration in 2004 provided the opportunity to rebuild its base with reinforced concrete. These new circular foundations now offer an exceptional 360° panoramic view of the region and the mountains.
However, the current Croix de Provence is the fourth cross erected on this site. The first cross was erected in the 16th century when a sailor, a survivor of a shipwreck, vowed to erect a cross on the first mountain he encountered. Unfortunately, his wooden cross quickly deteriorated due to rain and wind.
In 1785, Jean Laurand, a resident of Aix-en-Provence, financed the construction of the second cross, which, like the previous one, succumbed to the elements.
In 1842, a law student from Aix financed the construction of the third cross. However, having become a renowned pilgrimage site, it fell victim to its own popularity, with pilgrims taking small pieces of the cross as good luck charms. Eventually, wind and rain eroded what remained.
The current metal Croix de Provence remains an important pilgrimage site in Provence. Numerous hiking trails lead to it, offering visitors breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape, as well as the 17th-century Priory and the Chapel of Our Lady of Victory, nestled below.
Department of Bouches-du-Rhône
Coordinates: Lat 43.530977 – Long 5.580350
Photos via Wikimedia: Photo1 by Mathieu Toc CC BY-SA 3.0 – Photo2 by Maxéco CC BY-SA 4.0 – Header and Photo3 by Georges Seguin (Okki) CC BY-SA 3.0
