The Ice Bridge Miracle at Cap de la Madeleine

Ice Bridge Miracle - Cap de la Madeleine

The Shrine of our lady of the Cap or Cap de la Madeleine in Canada has a miracle of note in its origin, called the Ice Bridge Miracle.

In November, Father Luc Désilets asked the people to pray that a bridge of ice form on the river, so that the building blocks could be carried across.  Everyone began praying. 

The young associate pastor, Father Duquay, each day, prayed the Rosary at a side chapel, in front of the altar of the Brotherhood of the Most Holy Rosary, at the feet of Our Lady of the Cap.

March came and a high wind began to break up the ice blocking the mouth of the Saint-Maurice River to the south and the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. 

The ice began to drift downstream to the Cap de la Madeleine. 

It was covering the river several hundred feet from the church. 

That Sunday, March 17th, Feast of St. Patrick, Father Duquay told the parishioners that there would be a High Mass for the feast of St. Joseph on March 19th, petitioning Jesus’ foster father to ask his Son to form a bridge of ice! 

He also invited the men to come with him to survey the river.  SIDEBAR(If they wanted it done immediately, they should have asked St. Patty! - An Irishman joking)SIDEBAR

When they arrived, they saw that the river was covered with a thin layer of ice floating among drifts of snow.  They went from spot to spot, looking for blocks of ice floating closely together. 

They had gone about 1000 feet with no success, when they spotted two of the guides heading upriver to the south shore.  Father joined them.  Only Father Duquay and the two guides dared continue, the ice was so thin and treacherous.

Having arrived at the south shore, Firmin Cadotte (one of the guides) crawled forward, feeling in the icy waters for a piece of ice that could carry his weight.

He persisted and then was joined by thirty other men who began working alongside one another to form a 1600 foot stretch of ice along the river, wide enough for two carts carrying stones to pass one another. 

At 11 P.M., they returned to the sacristy and Father asked, “Well men, what are we going to do now?” 

A plan was formulated whereby they would pour water over the thin bridge of ice that had formed and, upon freezing, pour more water over it until it would become thicker, and when it was thick enough to carry the weight of the carts and stones, they would begin carting the stones across the river.

It was the following morning, March 18th, at 3 A.M., when the men returned to the river’s edge and went back to work on the ice. 

Now considering how temperate it had been and that it was now March, it was nothing short of a miracle that the bridge was now solid enough to walk on!

Men kept pouring water on the ice. 

It was now 6 inches thick!  Encouraged, seeing a possible light at the end of the tunnel, they kept on pouring water. 

March 19th, Feast of St. Joseph, just as they were trying to decide where the opening should be made for the carts to travel, as much snow had fallen during the night blocking the way, what did they see coming across the bridge of ice?

The first cart carrying blocks of stone! 

This cart was followed by other carts, until by Sunday 175 sleighs carrying stones had passed. 

The men had carted 1000 feet of stone plus enough stone for a foundation.  Father Duquay ordered all work to stop. 

God had answered their prayers; it was time to say Thank You, Lord. 

That day, the bridge was given the name it carries till today, the Bridge of the Rosary. 

One of the workers said, “It was quite extraordinary, a real miracle. 

It defied common sense.”  And when Father Désilets saw what had come to pass, he said, “Is this not a clear sign of Heavenly intervention?  Can one not manifestly see the Finger of God?”