{"id":1353,"date":"2023-03-29T13:21:31","date_gmt":"2023-03-29T13:21:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bodymindspiritjourneys.com\/news\/?p=1353"},"modified":"2023-03-29T13:21:55","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T13:21:55","slug":"the-woman-who-tamed-a-dragon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bodymindspiritjourneys.com\/news\/the-woman-who-tamed-a-dragon.html","title":{"rendered":"The Woman Who Tamed a Dragon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Vintage<\/p>\n

An ancient story from the South of France tells of a terrible dragon that was feared by the villagers who lived in Provence near the Rhone River, between Arles and Avignon.<\/p>\n

The beast had six legs with razor-sharp claws that could cut a boat in two with one swipe. It had an armored shell covered in sharp spikes like a dinosaur, but its head was that of a lion, with menacing teeth in a mouth that could shoot fire. This monster was called the Tarasque, and it killed everything, and everyone that had the misfortune of crossing its path.<\/p>\n

This was during the days when Christianity was in its infancy. In the Holy Land, Christians were being rounded up and expelled, sentenced to die by putting them out into small boats \u2013 without sails or oars \u2013 set adrift into the Mediterranean Sea, where they would surely drown.<\/p>\n

\"Antique<\/a><\/p>\n

One such boat held three siblings from Bethany: Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. Miraculously, their boat washed ashore in France. Lazarus was to become the first Bishop of Marseilles. The fate of Mary of Bethany is unclear. Eastern Orthodox tradition says she lived out her days in Cypress.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s Martha who is the heroine of this tale. She went to Avignon to preach about miracles \u2013 a topic she knew about first-hand, for she had seen Jesus raise her brother from the dead.<\/p>\n

When she arrived at a village and began spreading the gospel, the locals were skeptical. \u201cIf miracles are real,\u201d they said, \u201clet\u2019s see you get rid of the monster Tarasque.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that is what Martha did. She went out in search of the dragon.<\/p>\n

When she found him, he was in the middle of devouring a hapless man, whose legs were still sticking out of the creature\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n

Martha moved swiftly. She threw holy water, and the Tarasque could breathe fire no more.<\/p>\n

She held up a cross, and the monster became tame. She tied her belt around its neck for a leash, and it meekly followed her back to the village.<\/p>\n

\"coat<\/a><\/p>\n

That village is now named Tarascon, derived from Tarasque, whose image can be seen today on its official coat of arms.<\/p>\n

The remains of the home in Provence where Martha lived were discovered in medieval times, and in 1197 the Church of Saint Martha of Tarascon was dedicated. Her relics now remain in its crypt.<\/p>\n

Would you like to visit Tarascon and pay your respects to Martha in her cathedral?<\/p>\n

Kathleen McGowan\u2019s \u201cMary Magdalene in Provence\u201d Tour<\/h2>\n

\"sarcophagus<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kathleen McGowan will be leading a tour to Provence October 3 – 16, 2023, and one of the highlights of the itinerary is Tarascon, including a visit to the cathedral of Saint Martha. We can\u2019t promise we\u2019ll be able to enter the crypt with Martha\u2019s sarcophagus, because access depends on the availability of the church\u2019s caretaker, but we will try our best.<\/p>\n

What we can promise on the pilgrimage are these \u201cbucket-list\u201d experiences\u2026<\/p>\n