This paper was written by Eleanor Johnson.

I was able to get a copy from Kenny Prosper and I retyped it.
With her permission today, April 7, 2020 she allowed me to share the story about our Cross on
Facebook. Annie, the little girl who saw the vision is my grandmother’s sister. My grandmother was Mary
Ann (Denny) Jeddore.

I hope, we as a community have a big celebration in 2022, it will be 100 years the Cross was erected in
Our Eskasoni.

Eleanor Johnson

History and Legend of the Cross (In the mountain in Eskasoni)

Introduction

I looked out of my kitchen window on a fall morning and I could see the mountain in an array of autumn
colors. There in front of me was the cross on a mountain side. I paused for a moment in silent prayer
then a curious thought occurred to me about the history of the cross on the mountain. I had heard
numerous stories behind the devotion and the reason why the cross was erected on the mountain.
Michael Taft seem to capture the thought with:

“Indeed many shrines and sacred places result from a combination of history, mystery, and the charisma
of one person.”

I proceeded to ask around in Eskasoni and many people directed me to the elders who were born in
Eskasoni. They felt (myself included) that the most accurate history will be obtained from the people
who participated in the task or the people who lived near the base of the mountain, or who had relatives
that were involved in the traditional prayer gatherings at the time.

My informants were young people at the time and Mr. Noel S. Denny who is now 73 years of age
remembers when he was just a young boy of 10 or 11 years of age helping to carry sand bags up the
mountain.

Mrs. Susan Poulette gave me some history involving her sister Annie “Annis” Gould. Indeed history
mystery and charisma are all found in the pilgrimages to the cross on the mountain side in Eskasoni.

The material I used to obtain the interviews were a sony model cassette recorder T.C. M838. I used a
hand held microphone brand Realistic model 31-2001. Dynamic mike imp 500. The tape brand was TDk
SA60 High Bass – Side A and B.

This is a story of the Cross on the mountain as it was told by the elders of Eskasoni.

A young girl by the name of Annie Isabelle Denny saw a vision of the Sacred Heart of Jesus while getting
water from a well not far from their home. One night their mother asked the girls to go get water from
this well near Annie Gould’s place. The three sisters went to the well and when they were ready to draw
the water, Annie exclaimed, “What a beautiful figure. It is very bright and it has clouds around it. It is
beautiful and shining.” The two other girls couldn’t see anything and were frightened. They ran home
and told their mother what had happened. Their mother brushed it aside but the child (Annie) was
persistent with her story about the vision. The mother finally looked in the prayer book and the child was
able to point to the picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The story spread in the little village. One of the elders, a well respected prayer leader, Peter (Pole) Denny,
went with the mother and the child to see the priest. The story was recited to the priest. The priest
Father Placede, who was taught the Micmac language by Frank Nevin questioned the child at great
length about the vision. The priest was satisfied with Annie’s answers. He blessed Annie and told the
mother that the child will be an instrument for many cures.

It was around this time a fire in a form of the Holy Cross was seen on the mountain by Annie. She was on
the way home with her uncle Peter Paul and Liza when the fire appeared. They were returning from
Thomas Christmas’ place on an errand to fetch milk.

Father Placede, a visiting missionary priest chose the mountain near Christmas Brook to erect the cross.
A cross made of pine was brought over from a saw mill nearby, possibly Ben Eion. It was a great event.
The cross was dragged up the mountain from behind what is now Daniel Steven’s place. Francis Gould
had a strong horse “Clyde” who dragged the Cross up the mountain. Many strong men helped to put the
Cross up. The feat is spoken of as how of great strength through the efforts of Michael Gould, Andrew
Marshall, Peter Marshall, Thomas Marshall, Paul Francis, Levi Joe (from Newfoundland), Noel Gould and
many others. Women cooked meals for the men and children carried sand up in little containers. Mr.
Noel S. Denny was one of the boys who helped to fetch sand from the shore.

The Cross was erected on September 14, 1922, on the Feast day of the Holy Cross. People gathered up
on the mountain to pray with the priest. The priest blessed the Cross and placed a relic inside it. Note:
One of the elder relates how Annie found the spring during the service.

While they were praying the child Annie stepped into the soft mud and when she pulled her foot out of
the mud, a spring started to flow. The priest blessed the spring and appointed little girls Annie, to be in
charge of pouring it out for people. The spring was blessed to help obtain cures for the people who seek
assistance both spiritually and physically. This duty Annie carried out until she was able to do.

Pilgrims from the surrounding Reserves used to come on May 2 to attend the prayer services held on
May 3rd. One of the prayer leaders announced it was prayer time and people start to ready for the
possession of the mountain. The prayer leader Peter Denny led the possession followed by the choir
members Andrew Denny, Uncle Simon Denny, Thomas Christmas, Frank Nevin, Richard Denny and lastly
the pilgrims. They sang hymns going up until they reached the spot where the 9th station is now located.

Peter Denny read the names of the people who were requesting special help for their afflictions. The
prayer leaders and the people knelt down and prayed. The group advanced on their knees until they
reached the base of the Cross. It was the custom for the men to approach the Cross first. Women and
children followed under the direction of Mrs. Joe Dennis. Each person venerated the Cross and then
went to the spring where Annie poured the water in their containers also on their afflicted areas. This
was a yearly pilgrimage for many, but the people from Eskasoni made their devotions regularly,
sometimes daily, weekly or monthly.

The present day tradition is for the people to make their pilgrimage on Good Friday, starting after 12
o’clock midnight. All through the night, the people make their way up to the cross, younger generation
usually make their devotions at this time. Many people believe in making their devotion at the break of
dawn. Whole families can be seen making their way up the mountain, praying at the stations and
carrying containers of the spring water. Everyone manages a brief greeting and encouragement to the
task ahead of them. It takes a great effort to climb the hilly path for very often it is snowy and slippery at
this Holy Season of the year. Public Stations of the Cross are said at 9 o’clock in the morning.

The first set of the Stations of the Cross were donated by the Sisters of Saint Martha, Bethany,
Antigonish. The elements of the weather took their toll on them and new set of Stations were put up.
They were obtained through community effort. This was done during the pastorage of Rev. Pius Hawley.

Many parish priests have served with the Holy Family Parish in Eskasoni. The majority of them accepted
the beliefs and customs of the Indian people. One parish priest Rev. John Jewell was not in favor of the
people making these pilgrimages to the Cross. He felt the people should attend the Good Friday services
in church instead of going up to the Cross.

Many people, especially the elders were very strict about the Good Friday Pilgrimage and their
absolutions as such. They were hurt and offended when the priest made this remark. A much respected
prayer leader Mr. Levi Poulette approached Mr. Alexander Denny and instructed him to explain to the
good father sacred belief the people had for the Cross on the mountain. This was done Father Jewell
made a public apology at the mass. Since then the parish priests have respected the belief and
reverence, the Micmac people have of the Cross on the mountain.

Two other Crosses were erected during the pastorage of reverend Angus Morris. This was to signify the
scene of Calvary. This work was done by Mr. Leo Johnson, Andrew Joe Stevens, Annie Johnson, Dorothy
Stevens, Raymond Stevens and Stanley Johnson.

Many people have received cures through the intercession of the Cross. The cures are far too numerous
to mention, but I will write about the experiences recited to me by the elders themselves who had
firsthand knowledge of them. Some are personal and some were told to me because they were
witnessed by them. The stories of the cures I will write as they were told to me.

Mr. Noel S. Denny: My mother, Mrs. Simon Denny had a very bad infection of the neck. Her glands were
red and swollen and very painful. She went up to the Cross and washed her neck with the spring water
while praying to get cured. Two or three days following her “lumps” disappeared and she was well. A
miracle indeed for she was very sick and in great pain.

Mrs. Annie Cremo: I was married and living in Barra Head. I had three children and it was winter time
when I got the measles. After I got over the infection, I discovered that I was completely deaf. In the
spring I received a letter from my father telling me to come to Eskasoni and be there for May the 8th. I
was to make a pilgrimage to the Cross.
My father wrote a prayer for me to say while I was at the Cross. He told me to wait until all the people
finished with their petitions. This I did. I went up to the Cross on my knees as I was about to get up to
touch the Cross, I felt a sharp pain on my right knee as if I knelt on a pebble, I moved my leg as if to get
up and one of my ears opened. I could hear my father singing a hymn. Before I could get up I felt another
sharp pain on the left knee same as before and other ear sort of like “popped” and I could hear fully.

I did not tell my father immediately. On the way down my father and sister Jessie talked about me saying
that I was cross. I followed them and listened. When we got to the bottom of the mountain, I told my
father that I was not deaf anymore. That is how I got cured. The cross is Holy and I know because I got
cured.

I know someone else who got cured. Mr. Matthew Lewis returned from the States. He was in bad shape.
His back was giving him a lot of trouble and could hardly move. On Good Friday, he left for the Cross at
2:30 a.m. He went up there, prayed and drank the spring water. Two or three days later he was
completely better. He had no pain and was able to move freely. This I know to be true because he was
living at my house at that time.

Alexander Denny: Molly Theresa Julian, wife of the late Chief John Julian. She was very sick with arthritis
and bed ridden. On Good Friday, water was obtained from the spring at the mountain and was brought
to her. Prayers were said and the water was rubbed on her body. After that she was able to move a bit
and sit for a period of time. Her pain was less and she lived longer. She was not given much time to live.

Sources

Susan Poulette

Noel S. Denny

Mrs. Helen Cabot

Mrs. Annie Cremo

Mrs. Annie Gould

John Denny

Mrs. Madeline Denny

Mrs. Roderick Stevens Sr.

Mrs. Leo Johnson

Jikaptin Alexander Denny

Sister Wilma Best

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