“Half as old as time…”
Maguelone’s history reaches back into antiquity. It was one of the “seven cities” (today’s Elne, Agde, Narbonne, Lodève, Béziers, Nîmes and Maguelone) of the Roman province of Galia Narbonensis, which became part of the Visigothic kingdom after the fall of the Empire. Christian legend tells that the area was evangelised by Simon the Leper, who having been cured by Christ, came with the three Marys and Lazarus to southern Gaul. The area was invaded by the Saracens in the 8th century, and Maguelone was destroyed in the Frankish-Moorish wars. So depopulated ws the area, that the See was moved, and it was not until 300 years later that Bishop Arnaud rebuilt the ruined cathedral, which gives us the powerful Romanesque cathedral of Saint Peter seen today.
Father, hear the prayer we offer:
not for ease that prayer shall be,
but for strength, that we may ever
live our lives courageously.
This looks like an interesting site with notes from a pilgrimage.