Valbord Oratory

There is nothing in the archives that enlightens us as to the origins of this oratory. It is, however, a testament to the faith of our ancestors.

Constructed upstream of the village, near the torrent, and where the path to the mayens starts, it seems that the oratory functioned as a kind of watch post, guarding against floods and rockfalls. It was a place where one prayed for divine protection. The torrent must have been subject to dramatic fits of temper: the numerous repair works that run along its course are evidence of this. The start of the path to the mayens was not sheltered from rockfalls caused by the springtime thaw or torrential rain.

This was also the place where, during a novena, one went to ask for favourable showers in times of drought, or warm sunshine in times of persistent rain, when the crops were at risk.

Furthermore, when I was a child and full of youthful curiosity, I was assured that babies came from here and that there had once been many more of them...the ravages of the weather, the wind, the rain and storms defeated the oratory on the edge of the forest: it was at risk of ruin. In times such as these, when material comforts seem to keep us far from danger, was it really worth restoring it? Very much so! This witness to a tough and virtuous past deserved to be preserved. And so, three friends began the restoration job as volunteers in 1968. They reused the slates that had were still usable, repaired the walls and cleared access so builders could carry out the restoration works. The total cost came in at 2,626 francs. The Oratory of Our Lady of Valbord was blessed during the rogation procession in the spring of 1969. Let us hope that the villagers will come to this idyllic setting for a long time to come, to implore Our Lady to protect them, console them, and ensure that Bruson will be blessed with many children to maintain its population.

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