Pluscarden Abbey is the 54th station in the journey of the Pilgrim Statue of St. Michael around Scotland. Our statue is a replica of the famous marble original, carved in 1507 by Andrea Sansovino, for the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel at Gargano, in South East Italy. The plaster replica was commissioned specially for this Scottish project, which commenced in May 2022. It is scheduled to be at Pluscarden for about two weeks from 2 August 2023.
The Sanctuary of St. Michael at Gargano is the oldest shrine in Western Europe dedicated to the Archangel. According to the legend, around the year 490 the Archangel Michael appeared several times to the Bishop of Sipontum near a cave in the mountains, instructing that the cave be dedicated to Christian worship, and promising his protection of the Bishop’s City. When a pagan army invaded the territory, St. Michael duly appeared with flaming sword atop the mountain. The local Sipontans with their Beneventan allies engaged the invaders in battle, and were victorious. In commemoration of this victory, the church of Sipontum instituted a special feast on May 8th honouring the Archangel. This feast spread throughout Western Christendom during the 9th century.
Pope Gelasius I (reigned 492–496) directed that a Basilica be erected, enclosing the space of the mountain cave. The present Basilica, with its holy well, is full of votive offerings, in thanksgiving for graces and favours received. Among them is a 12th century marble Bishop's Throne, supported on crouching lions: and the famous statue of the Archangel, now overlooking the entrance to the Sanctuary.
“Monte Sant'Angelo” at Gargano has for many centuries been a popular pilgrimage site on the way to Jerusalem. Pilgrims travelled from as far as Ireland to visit the “Celestial Basilica”, and to honour St. Michael. Among the pilgrims who visited the Sanctuary were many popes (Gelasius I, Leo IX, Urban II, Alexander III, Gregory X, Celestine V, John XXIII as Cardinal, John Paul II), saints (Bridget of Sweden, Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Aquinas), emperors, kings, and princes (Louis II of Italy, Otto III, Henry II, Matilda of Tuscany, Charles I of Naples, Ferdinand II of Aragon). St. Francis of Assisi also visited the Sanctuary, but, feeling unworthy to enter the grotto, he stopped in prayer and meditation at the entrance, kissed a stone, and carved on it the sign of the cross in the form “T” (tau).
The purpose of this Pilgrim Tour is to invoke the protection of St. Michael upon our Church and our country; asking his intercession for the overthrow of the Kingdom of Satan. St. Michael is also asked to intervene in particular for the sake of peace in our world today, most notably in Ukraine.
