Artifacts and Artwork
The Steel Cross
The cross on top of St. Anne’s Church on Indian Island near Old Town, Maine is the cross that was planted in the middle of the Norridgewock village. It is the cross that Fr. Rale is believed to have died under. It still stands on top of the church to this day.
Fr. Rale’s Dictionary
Fr. Rale wrote the first Abenaki-French dictionary. It was taken during one of the raids in 1722 and is now kept at Harvard along with his diary. The diary remains untranslated. If anyone would be interested in undertaking the translation project, please contact us.
The Bell from the Old Point Mission
Fr. Rale spared nothing in furnishing the church at Norridgewock. The bell in tower was cast in Europe and brought to New France to be used in the mission. When the church was burned, one of the native Americans took the bell and hid it. He refused to say where, saying, “The Indians might want it someday.” Decades later, a farmer was ploughing his fields and he found a tree rotted out and fallen over. In the hollow of that tree was the bell. The bell is currently held at the Maine Historical Society in Portland, Maine.
Fr. Rale’s Strongbox
Fr. Rale’s strongbox was taken in a raid by Colonel Westbrook in 1722. The strongbox was part of the cause for war between the English and the Abenaki nation. Inside there was a secret compartment in which Fr. Rale had been keeping his correspondence to Governor Vandrieul of Quebec. In it Governor Vandrieul assured him of his assistance in defending the mission and the natives. For the English, this was clear evidence of treachery and tantamount to a declaration of war. The strongbox is currently held at the Maine Historical Society in Portland, Maine.
Crucifixes from the Old Point Mission
Over the years many artifacts have been point at Old Point from the mission. Among these artifacts are crucifixes that are kept at the Maine Historical Society. The crucifix picture has Jesus crucified on one side and Mary on the other.
Other objects that have been found include a host iron which was dug in the cemetery. A host iron was used to make hosts for saying Mass. Batter could be put on the inside of the iron, then clamped together and held over the fire to cook. The iron is currently held by the Parish of Christ the King in Skowhegan (whose jurisdiction also includes Madison.)
"Death of Father Sebastian Rale of the Society of Jesus. Killed by the English and Mohawks at Norridgewock, Aug. 23, 1724."
Frontpiece of "Indian Good Book made by Eugene Vetromile Indian Patriarch for the Benefit of the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, St. John's, Micmac and other tribes of the Abnaki Indians, 1856."
“The Cruel Death of Fr. Sebastian Rasle”
From the stained glass windows of Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in Skowhegan, Maine (not far from the Norridgewock Mission.)