La Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Grande-Rivière (Église L’Assomption-de-Notre-Dame de Grande-Rivière)

Marian Advocation of Grande-Rivière (Quebec)
Recognized by the Church

Grande-Rivière is a former Catholic fishing community of the Gaspésie, in the region of Gaspésie--Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Quebec), with an ecclesial presence since the 19th century. The main parish is dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady. The architectural details of the current building (exact date of construction, architect, reconstructions) do not accurately reflect the sources of rapid access, so the year of the present temple does not.

Main data

Origin and history

Grande-Rivière is a former Catholic fishing community of the Gaspésie, in the region of Gaspésie--Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Quebec), with an ecclesial presence since the 19th century. The main parish is dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady. The architectural details of the current building (exact date of construction, architect, reconstructions) do not accurately reflect the sources of rapid access, so the year of the present temple does not.

The image and the sanctuary

The advocation is the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Many coastal churches of the Gaspésie retain marine exvotes; for this parish, the existence of naval exvotes or a particular tradition of ship blessing is not documented in the sources consulted, although it would be plausible for the fishing context.

Sponsorship and coronation

The title is Our Lady's Assumption. There is no pontifical coronation or basilica title.

Party and devotion

By Marian invocation and the fishing environment, a strong devotion to Mary as a protector of the sailors is likely. No concrete accounts of miracles at sea or of salvation attributed to the Virgin in this church have been found in the local press or in diocesan reviews, so they do not record.

Link to the Rosary

The context would make it possible to wait for prayers of the Rosary for the crews, but specific documented practices do not reflect in the sources consulted.