Funeral Prayer of Philippe-Emmanuel de Lorraine, Duke of Mercœur

August 7, 2017

by Saint Francis de Sales

Philippe Emmanuel of Lorraine, Duke of Mercouer

“Ah! That the French are brave when they have God on their side! How valiant they are when they are devout! How happy they are to fight the infidels! As the naturalists put it, Leo qui omnibus insultat animalibus, solos pertimescit gallos [the lion, which insults all animals, fears only the Gauls]. It is a great deed that the presence of this French captain was able to stop the advance of Turkish weapons, and that the moon was eclipsed in their sight.

Philippe-Emmanuel de Lorraine

I rejoice with thee, O France! Praised be thy God that from thy arsenal has come so brave a sword, and that the empire has sought a lieutenant-general from the court of thy great king, who has the great glory of being the greatest warrior of a kingdom whose princes the world holds among the best. Thus, many believe that it will be one of your kings, O France that will strike the last destructive blow upon the sect of this great impostor, Mohammed.”

 Saint Francis de Sales

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