What are the shrines of Lourdes?

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes (French: Sanctuaire de Notre-Dame de Lourdes; Occitan: Santuari de Nòstra Senhora de Lorda) is a Catholic Marian shrine and pilgrimage site dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes in the town of Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrénées, France.



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Spiritually, in the Bible, the Rock symbolises trust in God, the stone on which the Church is built, the solid word on which we lean. Although the current health crisis does currently allow us to touch the Rock, you can make this gesture in your heart at the feet of the Virgin Mary.

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The first miraculous healings occurred in the days that followed. The Lourdes spring became a place of pilgrimage in itself and offered new hope for millions of sick people worldwide. The act of drinking water is one of the highlights of the pilgrim's journey to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.

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It is this very water that fills the Baths or Piscines in which pilgrims bathe on pilgrimage. This water is also available at taps throughout the Sanctuary for pilgrims to drink, wash, and bottle at will, above which it reads: “Wash your face and ask God to purify your heart.”

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In more than 150 years, even after millions of pilgrims have traveled to Lourdes, only 70 miracles are officially recorded. The miraculous waters of Lourdes, France, are known throughout the world.

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Throughout the years, at least 7,000 people have reported experiencing supernatural healings at Lourdes, but a mere 70 of those cures have been recognized by the Catholic Church as miraculous — the latest, which took place in 2008, was declared in 2018.

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Miraculous cures have been associated with Lourdes ever since. Lourdes today is far different from the isolated mountain hamlet of 1858. During the main pilgrimage season that runs from Easter through the end of October, an average of 25,000 pilgrims gather here each day in the shrine located in the center of Lourdes.

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Beyond their sensational value, the cures and miracles witnessed in Lourdes are intrinsically a sign of God and an evangelical experience. From the time of the apparitions to date the Church has recognized 70 miracles resulting from the intervention of God with the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes.

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With 6 million pilgrims visiting Lourdes each year, there is no doubt that it is a place of enormous attraction for those seeking enlightenment through the footsteps of St. Bernadette. The itinerary can be either 3, 4, 5 or 7 nights.

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The Massabielle Grotto is the very place where the apparitions occurred, and within it is the spring that Bernadette discovered. To the right of the Grotto are the Taps where you can drink Lourdes water. Those who wish to can also go to the Sanctuary Baths and perform the water gesture.

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