The Sanctuary of Child Jesus of Beaune

At the Sanctuary of the Child Jesus, there is a treasure to be discovered. It is thespecific place of devotion to the Infant Jesus. The story of the Holy Child Jesus ofBeaune begins at the beginning of the 17th century.

In 1619 the Carmelite nuns from Dijon settled in the Priory of Saint Etienne inBeaune. That same year, on the 7th of February, MARGUERITE PARIGOT wasborn. At the age of 11, she entered the Carmelite order. Her ardent devotion to theChild Jesus led her to make a pact with her two mothers (Sr Marie of the Trinity andSr Elisabeth of the Trinity, Mother Superior and Mother Mistress of the Carmeliteconvent in Beaune) to establish an eternal link between their souls. Here is part of thetext, probably written by the Venerable herself :

« Jesus, Mary, Joseph, »

« On Friday, the fourteenth of January in the year 1639, at midnight, we offeredourselves and consecrated ourselves without division and in complete union to theHoly Child Jesus and we gave ourselves to Him to honour His holy Infancy and thefirst twelve years of His divine life on earth, the moment of His holy birth… »

On 7 May 1639, Marguerite laid the first stone of the little chapel dedicated to theInfant Jesus and she saw the Holy Infant Jesus as if he were two years old. He wasravishingly beautiful and with his divine hand, taking the stone she was holding inhis, placed it together with her in the place that had been prepared :

« My little bride, » he said to her, « I am founding this little temple with you for yourlove, I will always be present there and will answer the prayers made to me there. Iwill love and delight in it because it is where your body will rest after your death. Iwill fill with my blessings all those who honour my childhood there and who haverecourse to it in their needs.”

The Child Jesus reveals himself to her heart. He also reveals his mission to her. Tomake known to the world the treasures of the divine childhood of the Saviour and hissorrowful passion. In 1636, Marguerite was 17 years old, the plague and the warswere starting again, and the Child Jesus gave Marguerite the means of her mission.Founding a family that honours his childhood will be the remedy to stop the enemyarmy. « Draw from the treasures of my childhood and nothing will be denied you ».

On 24 March 1636, she founded the Family of the Holy Child Jesus. This devotionspreads very quickly, because of the sufferings of the people and the dangersemanating from the wars which ravage Burgundy, and graces are effectively obtained.

In December 1643, Gaston de Renty offered Marguerite and the Carmel the statue ofthe CHILD JESUS, King of Grace. Devotion to the Child Jesus continued even afterMarguerite’s death on 26 May 1648.

The French Revolution of 1789 -1793 destroyed the chapels, causing worship to be interrupted because it was determined to destroy the order of God.

In 1792 the Carmelites were expelled from the Priory of St. Stephen. It was not until1804 that they moved to the Rue du Rempart to begin community life. On 26November 1836, the Carmelites moved to their present location at 14, rue de Chorey.

The cult of the Infant Jesus revived thanks to the intervention of Abbot Chocarne in1873, to whom, during a pilgrimage to Lourdes a stranger, an angel, came to tell himabout a miraculous Infant Jesus in Beaune, whose image he was shown, assuring himthat marvellous graces were obtained at his feet.Cloistered life continued until 2001 when the Carmelites left the Carmel of Beaune.Nevertheless, Religious life continued: the years 2001 until 2011 with the presence ofthe Community of the Beatitudes, and from 2011 until 2012 with the Fraternity of theHoly Childhood.

On 15 October 2015 Bishop Roland Minnerath instituted the former Carmel ofBeaune as the Diocesan Sanctuary of the Child Jesus. From the 1st of September ofthe same year, the Carmelite Sisters of the Child Jesus arrived to continue thespirituality of this place. On 3 January 2016, the Shrine was officially opened byMonsignor Roland Minnerath, Archbishop of Dijon.

Father Amelotte in his book,  »The complete biography of Sister Marguerite of theBlessed Sacrament, first edition 1654″, writes :

« I am not afraid to promise the humble such great communications from Jesus Christ, and such rare secrets of his Mysteries, that perhaps they have seen in no otheraccount.

And so that this knowledge will not be fruitless, I will seek in the light of faith themeans of profiting from so many treasures with which he filled his Bride, and throughher this Convent, his Order and the whole Church.

« The wise of the world will take this account for a girl’s imagination, but faithful souls will discover in it the wonders of the Providence and the Holiness of Jesus Christ. »