Chapter VI
Where the Great Became Pilgrims Other than saints, countless leading personalities of history visited the shrine of Loreto as pilgrims. Here too an exhaustive list would require a separate discussion,116 so we will only give a few examples. 1) We must start with France, which has always had a special bond with the Holy House. As is known, the sanctuary houses several national chapels (Spanish, Polish, Swiss, German, Slavic, etc.), but the French one, dedicated to King St. Louis IX (1214-1270), has a special meaning. The great sovereign went as a pilgrim to this holy abode when it was still in Nazareth. The visit took place on the eve of the Annunciation in 1251 after he was freed from the captivity of the Sultan of Egypt. The chapel and its paintings recall the episode and the crusade against the Mohammedans. On March 25, he received Holy Communion in the Holy House. Here is how William of Nangis recounts that journey: “As soon as he saw the city, he descended from his horse and adored Our Lord and venerated Our Lady. ... On that day, despite his labors, he fasted on bread and water. With how much devotion and solemnity he behaved, and with what splendor he had vespers, mass and other offices of this feast celebrated! All the numer116 See, about this matter, G. Santarelli, Personaggi d’Autorità a Loreto, Edizioni Santa Casa, Loreto 2010.
