Michael Goes North

Mont-Saint-Michel's foundation is linked to a divine vision of the archangel Michael, who directed Bishop St. Aubert (d. c. 725) of Avranches to build a church on a granite outcrop in its bay. The round sanctuary's design was inspired by a cavern on Monte Gargano, from which Aubert retrieved relics for dedication. This site became symbolic, representing a transition from 'Egypt' to the 'Promised Land,' with the landscape facilitating this narrative through tides that receded on Michael's apparition anniversary (October 16), allowing pilgrims to cross the waters symbolically. The study reconstructs this historical and theological significance, emphasizing Mont-Saint-Michel as a liminal space for apocalyptic contemplation.

Arnold, J. C. (2013). Michael Goes North. The Footprints of Michael the Archangel, 93–119. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137316554_5