The Blind Monk

Stories & Legends

The Blind Monk

Elaine Marie Jordan

The monk, enamored by the beauty of Our Lady

A devout monk who had a tender love for our Queen Mary, had heard her beauty so much extolled that he ardently desired once to see his Lady, and with humble prayers asked this favor.

The kind mother sent an Angel to tell him that she would gratify him by allowing him to see her, but on this condition, namely, that after seeing her he should become blind. He accepted the condition.

On a certain day, behold the Blessed Virgin appeared to him, and that he might not become wholly blind, he at first wished to look at her with one eye only. But afterwards being enamored of the great beauty of Mary, he wished to contemplate her with both. But then the Mother of God disappeared.

Deeply grieved at having lost the presence of his Queen, he could not cease weeping; not indeed for his lost eye, but that he had not seen her with both.

Then he began to supplicate her anew, that she would again appear to him, and he would be willing to lose the other eye and become entirely blind. "Happy and satisfied, o my Lady, I will remain, if I become wholly blind for so good a cause, which will leave me more enamored of thee, and of thy beauty," he said.

Again Mary was willing to satisfy him, and again she consoled him with her presence. But because this loving Queen can never injure anyone, when she appeared to him the second time, not only she did not take from him the other eye, but she even restored to him the one he had lost.

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From St. Alphonsus de Ligouri, Glories of Mary,
New York: P. J. Kenedy & Sons, 1888, pp. 512-513
Posted June 12, 2011

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