Our Lady of Trois-Epis (Three Ears)
cease to sin
On the 3rd of May 1491, at 10 o1’clock in the morning, a blacksmith from the village of Orbey named Thierry Schoeré, was passing through a forest. He was on the way to the market, when he noticed a crucifix hung on an oak tree. It was placed there in memory of a harvester who had been mortally wounded. Thierry knelt down and prayed for the soul of the deceased. On finishing his prayer, the Mother of Christ appeared to him, dressed in a large white robe, with her mantle and veil. She held in her left hand a clump of ice and in her right hand she held three ears of corn. Addressing Thierry, Our Lady said,
“My son, the people of the region live in great sin. God was going to send them terrible punishments… and this ice cube symbolises frosts, hail, rain, diseases and other punishments; but as the heat of my hand begins to melt the ice cube, so my fervent prayers have obtained for them that God will grant them mercy from the punishment, and as symbolised by these three ears of corn, He will grant them the prosperity of their crops, if they cease to sin and if, with a contrite heart, they do penance.
In the name of my two symbols, go to Niedermorschwihr and tell the inhabitants to repent of their sins and to undertake pilgrimages; they must stop sinning and pass on this message to other places so that all may be converted. Wherever they do not follow my recommendations, they will suffer the punishment of God without delay.” 2
The blacksmith dared to speak: “Alas! and how will they believe me if I bring them this news?
The Virgin answered: “These signs which you see in my hand will give credence to your words.” Then the Lady disappeared.
Thierry went to the market in Niedermorschwihr, but was too afraid to talk about the apparition with anyone. He purchased a sack of wheat and got ready to depart. However, upon his attempts to load the sack on his horse he found it too heavy to lift off the ground. Soon, everyone in the market noticed the sack of wheat and the blacksmith regretted not making known the apparition of the Blessed Mother. He immediately told everyone about the apparition and was then able to lift the sack of what without any difficulty and be on his way.
A wooden chapel was built on the site of the apparition, and in 1493 the construction of the present chapel was begun.3
The website of the Militia Immaculata, gives an interesting insight about this particular apparition of Our Lady of the Three Ears of Corn:
Alsace was one of the most important centres of the humanism that led to the Protestant Reformation. In this apparition, the Virgin Mary reminds us that God accepts prayer for the repose of the souls of the dead, Marian intercession and pilgrimages: all practices that Protestantism will banish.
Our Lady of Trois-Epis pray for us.
References:
http://ndtroisepis.fr/
https://immaculate.one/our-lady-of-the-day-may-3-1491-our-lady-of-the-three-ears-of-corn-wheat-trois-epis-colmar-haut-rhin-alsace-france/
https://m-i.info/en/our-lady-of-the-three-ears-in-1491-alsace-france/