Marian Advocations of Congo (Brazzaville)

In Congo- Brazzaville Marian devotion is very visible concentrated around the great Gruta de Lourdes de Linzolo, near the capital, the country's main Marian focus.

Archdiocese of Brazzaville

History of Marian devotion in the Republic of the Congo

The devotion to the Virgin Mary in the Republic of the Congo, although a minority in a country of Muslim majority or traditional African religions, has a significant presence among local Christian communities. Christianity has come to these lands through European missionaries since the 15th century (Portuguese, French, Spanish), and the figure of Mary was one of the pillars of evangelization. Marian apparitions in Africa, like Kibeho's in Rwanda (1981- 1989), have boosted Marian devotion throughout the continent.

In the Republic of the Congo, the Virgin is venerated under various calls, many of them introduced by the missionaries: the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes. The local Catholic communities keep the devotion to Mary alive through the prayer of the Rosary, processions and patronal parties, which are expressions of an incarnate faith in African culture.

Marian Advocations of the Republic of the Congo

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The Grotto of Linzolo, Lourdes del Congo

The Republic of the Congo (Congo- Brazzaville) has a strong Catholic tradition that dates back to the arrival of Portuguese missionaries in the Kingdom of the Congo in the 15th century. Modern evangelization began in 1883 with the foundation of the mission of Linzolo by the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, led by Father Prosper Augouard. The Gruta de Lourdes de Linzolo, built in 1925, is the country's main Marian sanctuary and a place of national pilgrimage. The grotto, located a few kilometres from Brazzaville, replicates that of Massabielle in France and was built with stone from the Congo River. The image of Our Lady of Lourdes, a marble size brought from France, presides over the grotto since its blessing in 1926.

The Marian devotion in Congo- Brazzaville reached a new impulse after the Marian Year of 1987, proclaimed by Pope John Paul II. The Grotto of Linzolo was restored and expanded, and a great explanade was built to welcome the pilgrims. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11) is celebrated with a great pilgrimage that brings together faithful from all over the country and from neighbouring countries. The basilica of Santa Ana in Brazzaville, built between 1943 and 1949, is another important Marian center, dedicated to Santa Ana, the mother of the Virgin Mary. Its impressive red brick architecture and its 45-metre bell tower make it one of the most emblematic temples in Central Africa.

In 2017, the Republic of the Congo celebrated the centenary of the Grotto of Linzolo, with a great national pilgrimage that brought together more than 100,000 faithful. The Congolese government declared the Grotto a national heritage, recognizing its cultural and spiritual importance. The image of Our Lady of Lourdes of Linzolo, restored for the occasion, was crowned by the Apostolic Nuncio in a ceremony that lasted six hours. The Linzolo Grotto is today one of the most important pilgrimage centres in Central Africa, attracting faithful from Congo, Gabon, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon.

The archdiocese of Brazzaville, built in 1955, covers the capital of the Republic of the Congo and its surroundings. The Archbishop, Monsignor Anatole Milandou, has promoted the Grotto of Linzolo as a national pilgrimage centre and meeting place for reconciliation. After the political conflicts of 1997- 1999 and 2016- 2017, the Grotto has been the scene of prayer for peace meetings. The image of Our Lady of Lourdes of Linzolo, a marble size brought from France, has witnessed these moments of grace. The feast of February 11 is celebrated with a pilgrimage that attracts faithful from all over the country and from neighbouring countries.