Marian devotion
← Back to Taiwan's Marian Advocations
In Touwu, in the Taiwanese county of Miaoli, pilgrims find a reproduction of the Holy House of Loreto. The small sanctuary was built to bring to Asia the spirituality of the home of Nazareth: the hidden life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the listening to the Word and the daily holiness of the family.
Advocation: Our Lady of Loreto.
Chinese name: 洛雷托聖母 · Luòléituō Shèngmǔ.
Place: Touwu, Miaoli County, Taiwan.
First stone: 19 March 2006.
Opening and declaration as a place of pilgrimage: 25 March 2007.
Jurisdiction: Catholic diocese of Hsinchu.
Related Community: Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Feast of Our Lady of Loreto: December 10th.
The spirituality of the Holy House
The original sanctuary of Loreto, in Italy, preserves ancient walls venerated as part of the house of Nazareth. Beyond the historical debates about its transfer, the Church has for centuries recognized the spiritual value of the place: there is the mystery of the Incarnation and the "yes" of Mary, and the humble life of the Holy Family is learned.
The advocation of Our Lady of Loreto presents Mary as a woman of listening, Mother of the Word incarnate and protective of the home. Since 1920 she has also been a patron of those who travel through the air, a title that recalls the tradition of the transfer of the Holy House.
A replica for the pilgrims of Asia
The idea of raising a Holy House in Taiwan was born from the desire to offer the faithful a close place to live that spirituality. With the support of Bishop Lucas Liu Hsien- tang, priests, religious and benefactors, a team travelled to Loreto to study its proportions, materials and disposition. The project was carried out with the Catholic community of Touwu.
The work began on March 19, 2006, solemnity of St. Joseph. It was opened on 25 March 2007, solemnity of the Annunciation, in a celebration presided over by Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo- hsi and concelebrated by Bishop John Baptist Lee Keh- mean and numerous priests. On that day the Bishop of Hsinchu formally declared it a place of pilgrimage.
The house and its signs
The diocese explains that the building reproduces the measures and interior disposition of the Italian Holy House. To prepare the work, photographs and architectural data were taken in Loreto. An image of the Virgin of Loreto, ancient-looking paintings and inscriptions that refer to the European sanctuary were available inside.
A fragment from Loreto was taken to Taiwan on the occasion of the inauguration and expresses spiritual communion between the two places. The replica is not intended to replace the original sanctuary: it allows the pilgrim to contemplate in a Taiwanese environment the mystery celebrated in Nazareth and Loreto.
A family life school
The sanctuary invites you to pray for marriages, children, the elderly and the homeless. The Annunciation recalls that God enters history through a free and confident response; the life of Nazareth teaches that work, care and ordinary tasks can become an offering.
The groups of pilgrims celebrate the Eucharist, pray the Rosary and make silence within the house. The environment also serves for retreats and encounters, maintaining a living link with the parish and the pastoral life of the diocese.
Verified location
The diocese publishes address 20, Zhongzheng Street, Touwu Village, Miaoli County. The individual mapping geometry of OpenStreetMap places the building of the Holy House in 24.5775144, 120.8529058. The marker identifies the sanctuary within the enclosure and not the generic centre of Touwu.
Prayer to Our Lady of Loreto of Touwu
Our Lady of Loreto, Mother of the Incarnate Word, make our homes places of listening, fidelity and tenderness. It accompanies wounded families, those who live homeless and those who take a journey. From the Holy House of Touwu, teach us to say yes to God in the simple tasks of each day and to receive Jesus in the heart. Amen.
Sources consulted
- Diocese of Hsinchu: history, characteristics, dates and direction of the sanctuary.
- Taiwan Ministry of Education: construction and opening as a pilgrimage site.
- Municipality of Touwu: official description of the Santa Casa.
- Government of Miaoli County: cultural and tourist information of the shrine.
- Catholic Weekly from Taiwan: early ecclesial chronicle of the pilgrimage to Touwu.
- Pontifical Sanctuary of Loreto: history and meaning of the original Holy House.
- OpenStreetMap: individual geometry of the Touwu shrine.
Is the advocation of the Virgin Mary of your people missing?
Si no encuentras la advocación mariana de tu ciudad o pueblo, cuéntanosla: la investigaremos para ubicarla y darla a conocer en este mapa del amor de la Madre por el mundo.
Propose an apvocation →