before the eighth century, the island was called "mont tombe" (). the catholic church built the first religious building in the eighth century, and the mount became mont-saint-michel. according to legend, the archangel michael appeared in 708 to st. aubert, the bishop of avranches. the angel told him to build a church on the mount. aubert didn't listen to the angel until michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger.