Our Lady of the Castle

Tradition holds that this sanctuary dates back to a more remote era than that of Notre-Dame de la Garde. However, the destruction of the archives of the commune of Allauch, towards the beginning of the 16th century, does not allow us to provide the rigorous proof that one would be entitled to demand in support of this assertion. Furthermore, thanks to unforgivable negligence, the complete history of this chapel escapes us no less than its origin. This history exists, however, composed by the faith of our fathers and the merciful power of our Mother in heaven. The Angels know it. As for us, reduced to suspicions that are still full of charm, we wish to say at least what we have retained from the ancient traditions of our country and what we have learned from a few rare documents and, above all, a precious manuscript from 1713, due to the pious erudition of a venerable parish priest of Allauch.

From the earliest ages of the Church, t he Cassianite religio us came to establish a convent in the Saint-Pierre district, around which they soon attracted a certain number of farmers who cleared the lands of this locality. The sons of Saint Cassian, struck by the beauty of the site where the sanctuary of Notre-Dame du Château stands today, founded on these heights a modest oratory in honor of the most holy Virgin. It was there that they would go, at certain times of the year, with all their subjects, to offer to the Queen of Heaven, along with the tribute of their faith and their love, humble but sincere offerings.

Little by little, the inhabitants of Saint-Pierre, as well as the peasants of the Huveaune valley, or the Laza district, following their preferences or yielding to the necessities of those still barbaric times, abandoned the plain and came to fix their dwellings at the foot of Mary's chapel. In changing their position, they were also to change masters . The venerable chap ter of the Major did not delay, in fact, in succeeding the religious of Saint-Pierre in the possession of this territory. The new lord built, on the mountain, a castle flanked by towers and surrounded by ramparts, of which one can still find half-erased vestiges today. This grandiose and formidable dwelling, where the members of the sacred Chapter came to take shelter during vacation times, was placed under the protection of her whom the Church calls the Tower of David. The modest oratory of the Cassianites was replaced by the current chapel which dominated the castle and the entire surrounding region. Since that time, Mary has always been invoked in this sanctuary under the title of Our Lady of the Castle, and her feast has remained fixed on September 8, the day on which the C hurch celebrates her glorious Nativity.

We owe this notice to the kindness of Mr. Anto ine Ricard, ho norary canon of Marseille.