Witness: Gaspard Ricard

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On June 7, 1660, a twenty-two-year-old shepherd named Gaspard Ricard was tending his sheep on the eastern slopes of Mount Bessillon. Around 1 p.m., the sun’s heat grew intense and unbearable. Exhausted and parched, he lay down upon the rocky ground to rest. Suddenly, a tall man appeared beside him and pointed to a nearby rock, saying:

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“I am Joseph, lift the rock and you will drink.”

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Startled, the young shepherd looked at the massive rock and exclaimed, “It would take at least eight men to move this!”

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He wondered how he could possibly lift it alone, as no one else was nearby. St. Joseph, however, repeated his instruction, urging Gaspard to obey.

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Gathering all his strength, Gaspard braced himself and was astonished to lift the rock with ease. To his amazement, fresh water began to flow from beneath it! Overcome with joy, he eagerly drank and looked up to thank the mysterious man, only to find that St. Joseph had vanished.

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With great haste, Gaspard ran into town to share the miraculous news with the villagers. Within three hours, the small spring had grown into a fountain of abundant water. Curious men tried to move the rock themselves, claiming they could replicate Gaspard’s feat, but even twelve men could not budge it.

The waters that sprang forth in Cotignac, France, would become a source of hope for countless people, renowned for their healing properties of both body and soul. Today, a sanctuary stands at that very site, dedicated in honor of St. Joseph, commemorating his miraculous intercession and care.

One of the documented miracles that took place was recorded in 1662 by a priest who had gone there the previous year:

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“The waters of St. Joseph bring miracles. Since I returned, a man whom we know from Avignon, born lame, went to the spring and came back cured, having left his crutches there. Everyone drinks and carries away the water (Father Allard of the Oratory, 1662).”