The Calvary of Betharram (6)

Nine landowners in Lestelle formed an Association to buy the ruins of the chapels, and the path leading to Calvary “for a religious programme”.

They did even better a few years later; they gave all the undivided sections to the house at Betharram, which was once more Church property since 1805.

Even before that time great efforts had been made to revive the Pilgrimage. One of the Capuchins who had lived at Betharram for a few years following the Revolution, Father Joseph had refused to accompany his Brothers to Spain. He remained hidden in the countryside and rendered great services as a priest for those good souls who held on to their religion. He had witnessed the destruction of the Calvary; the day after such a disaster he began to think of plans for a total reconstruction. As soon as circumstances allowed and as soon as the Catholic religion was established once more in France thanks to Napoleon, Fr Joseph began operations. He went to a lot of trouble and with the passage of time he succeeded in making the sacred place suitable for the devotion of the faithful.

Mgr Loyson, bishop of Bayonne, brought the Junior Seminary to his huge diocese, and placed it under the direction of Abbe Lassalle, a former priest of Doctrine. In 1812, probably as a result of decisions of Napoleon concerning Junior Seminaries, the diocese thought of closing down Betharram’s. Such a decision made the faithful react. “Don’t think of closing down Betharram’s seminary! It can’t be done! What we lived during the Revolution cannot make us forget the love we have for this place. During the Reign of Terror they tried in vain to make us desert the sanctuary. But no amount of threats could make us abandon the solemnities. Had only a stone remained we would have gone to see it; for the inhabitants of this part of the world it would have been like a stone in Bethel for the Jews.

It is known that the Terrorists had destroyed all the stations. If we are to believe those who had seen them the handiwork of our Fathers was magnificent. But it must be admitted that since the Revolution Betharram didn’t shine through its Calvary. On two occasions efforts were made to reconstruct it and twice the handiwork could not be considered a work of art.”

Abbé Menjoulet, « Chronique de Bétharram

It drew near 1825, year in which the abbé Michel Garicoïts reached Betharram.