30th Jun - OUR MOTHER OF CALAIS (FRANCE)

 For a whole year the town of Calais in France was besieged by the English who had lost many troops during the siege. Starvation finally forced the French to consider giving up but 

    the English King, Edward III, would not accept their surrender unless six citizens of Calais came before him bare-headed, bare-footed, dressed in rough shirts and each with a halter 

    about his neck. The entire population prayed to Our Mother of Calais which had been damaged during the war. This shrine had been built by the English while they had possessed that 

    city, of which they had been masters for 210 years. No one wanted to give his life in such a manner. Finally, a nobleman stepped forward and offered his head as a ransom to the 

    English king so that the city of Calais should be spared. Five others then volunteered, all dressed as the king had demanded. When they stood before the irate king he angrily 

    reminded them of the losses he had suffered through their stubbornness; then he ordered the six citizens to be beheaded. Then Queen Philippa arose from her seat beside the king, 

    and kneeling before him with tears streaming down her cheeks, pleaded and the king could not deny the boon she had asked him.





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