06 – Closer

We’re Almost there…

It has been said that I sometimes get so involved in certain matters that I ‘lose the plot’. OK - It’s true! And so it was with my preparation for visiting Mont St. Michel. I’d hit the web before leaving home, I’d bought the guide book long before  setting out on this journey, and I had collected a copy of every possible official Mont St Michel tourist brochure available in Paris immediately on my arrival.

That my mother had always called me by my second name (which is Michael) was surely of coincidence, but if I was going to learn about any single angel Saint, Michel it was to be.

St Michel (or Michael) is of course an archangel. I had learned that he was one of a select group of three of these high ranking venerated beings recognised by the Catholic Church, the others being Gabriel and Raphael.  Other religions including Judaism and Islam acknowledge at least a pecking order amongst the angels, although their  number at the arch level varies from seven to thousands, dependant on the text consulted. One thing they all seem to have in common however is the name ending of EL, being Hebrew I believe for “one of God”. Protestant Christian text would have their number down to two, Michael and Gabriel, with some Protestant devotees and certain denominations recognising only Michael as the sole archangel - the term itself translating into “Chief Angel”. However many you personally acknowledge, St Michael seems to be the common denominator. Sadly my prior knowledge of his worth was largely coloured by the surprising hit movie Michael starring John Travolta. I’d first have to dispel an image of the somewhat flawed, boozing, smoking though ultimately good being presented by Holywood in 1996.

From the windows of the coach (reflected in this shot) the Mount grew ever larger and details of its construction were now discernible - the silhouette so familiar from the stamp I’d known since early childhood took on it’s monumental reality.

I was here - at last.