On June 24, St. Jean Baptiste's Day, in the year 1610, the Mi'kmaw chief Membertou and his whole extended family were baptized as Catholics in Port Royale (now Annapolis, NS), by the Reverend Jesse Fleché. Membertou was given the baptismal name Henri, after the King of France, who became his godfather. Through the months that followed, hundreds more Mi'kmaq asked for baptism. By the 20th century, most Mi'kmaq had been baptized into the Catholic Church and many still adhere to this faith.
The petroglyphs reflect Mi'kmaw concern with the new religious rites. There are a number of images of churches, altars with crucifixes and simple crosses. The image at right shows a person kneeling before an altar adorned with crosses.
Person at altar

Coffin with cross
This small petroglyph is a drawing of a coffin. It has a cross at the head, and a five-pointed star on the lid. These five-pointed stars are the symbol for "Heaven" in Mi'kmaw hieroglyphs. Perhaps this image marks the burial of a Mi'kmaw nearby.

 

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Link: Petroglyphs: Ships Link: home Link: Petroglyphs: Stars and Symbols