Our Lady of La Peinière

Marian Advocation of Saint-Didier (Britain)

Documented history

Main data

Origin and history

Documented history

The shrine of Notre-Dame de La Peinière is located in the territory of the parroquia de Saint-Didierin the department of Ille-et-Vilaine, Archdiocese of Rennes, in the region of Brittany (France). It is recognized as principal diocesan Marian shrine and has become an important place of Marian pilgrimage throughout contemporary times, especially since the 19th century, when the great diocesan pilgrimage of September (second Sunday) is consolidated. This consolidation in the 19th century is the data that is stable in the diocesan sources and in the presentation of the sanctuary as the Marian pilgrimage centre of the archdiocese.

The sanctuary is linked to the Marian pastoral of the Archdiocese of Rennes and is integrated into the network of Breton sanctuaries dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It does not contain, in the regularly accessible documentation, a account of apparitions or a specific "message" associated with this advocation, but a progressive growth of devotion to the Virgin under the local advocation of Notre-Dame de La Peinièrein a context of the revitalization of the Breton Catholic life in the XX- XX centuries.

Tradition / Legend

In the usual sources of consultation (public diocesan documentation, synthesis of Breton sanctuaries, general repertories of Marian vocations) there is no Precise legend background about a miraculous finding of the image, apparitions or specific prodigious facts linked to the origins of La Peinière. Therefore:

– No consta una formally recognized Marian apparition en este lugar. – No consta un Unified traditional account (e.g. the image found in a tree, in a well, etc.) sufficiently documented to be strictly incorporated.

Any more detailed local tradition seems to be transmitted mainly in the oral field or in very local publications; in the absence of accessible documentary confirmation, it cannot be summarized here without the risk of inaccuracy. Consequently, does not contain with certainty a legendary account defined which can be presented as an "official" version of the origin.

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The image and the sanctuary

The image

The sources consulted do not provide a detailed and verifiable iconographic description (material, exact size, author) of the main image of Our Lady of La Peinière. In the absence of accurate and verifiable data:

– No consta con seguridad el material (madera, piedra, etc.). – No consta con seguridad el iconographic type (por ejemplo, Virgen sedente con el Niño, Virgen de pie, etc.). – No consta autoría ni fecha exacta de la talla.

The only thing that can be said rigorously is that it is a image of the Virgin Mary under local apvocation, venerated in a stable way in the shrine of La Peinière. Beyond this, the descriptions found are fragmented or not sufficiently accredited, so they cannot be reproduced here as firm data.

The sanctuary / temple

The place of worship is usually known as Santuario de Notre-Dame de La Peinière, located at the end of Saint-Didier (Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretaña, Francia), within the Archdiocese of Rennes. It is the the main Marian sanctuary of the diocesewith an enclosure prepared to host large concentrations of faithful during the annual pilgrimage of September.

It is not known that the temple has been raised to minor basilica nor that he has the rank of a national sanctuary; what is documented in his ecclesial presentation is his condition of diocesan Marian shrine of the Archdiocese of Rennes. The architecture of the whole combines the church / parish with outer spaces for outdoor celebrations, typical of the great sanctuaries of pilgrimage. However, no detailed technical description (exact architectural style, date of construction of the current building, etc.) has been found enough documented to be reproduced here.

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Sponsorship and coronation

Patronage

Our Lady of La Peinière is venerated as great Marian advocation of the Archdiocese of Rennesand his sanctuary is presented as principal diocesan Marian shrine. This fact gives the advocation a Marian reference character for the whole diocese, although there is no formal proclamation of canonical patronage over the diocese or the French nation.

It does not contain, in the documentation easily accessible and verifiable, that it has been canonically erected as main patron of a specific city (beyond its link to the parish territory of Saint-Didier) national employer.

Canonical coronation

In the usual repertories of canonical coronations and in the information usually available from the archdiocese and the sanctuary itself no canonical coronation registered of the image of Notre-Dame de La Peinière. Accordingly, according to the sources consulted:

– No documented canonical coronation.

If there was any local or devotional coronation not recognized as "canonical coronation" in a strict sense by the Holy See or by published episcopal decree, it does not appear on the official lists available.

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Party and devotion

The devotion to Our Lady of La Peinière is expressed in a particularly intense way in the great annual pilgrimageIt's taking place. on the second Sunday of September. This day is celebrated diocesan pilgrimagewhich brings together the faithful of the Archdiocese of Rennes and other areas of Britain, and which is the culminating moment of the calendar of the sanctuary.

It does not contain, in the sources consulted, a Fecha liturgica propia of the advocation included in the general calendar of the Church; the main feast, in devotional practice, is identified with this September pilgrimage. During the usual journey:

– La solemn celebration of the Eucharist, presidida frecuentemente por el arzobispo o su delegado. – Procesiones marianas y actos de consagración a la Virgen. – Espacios de confession, Eucharistic worship and silent prayer.

In the tradition of the Breton and French shrines, the pilgrimages to La Peinière are inserted into a popular fabric in which the Virgin is invoked by families, the sick, the young and various ecclesial groups. However, there are no official influx figures (exact number of pilgrims per year) that can be quoted with precision; therefore, no consta a given numérico fiable de participación.

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Link to the Rosary

The sources consulted about Notre-Dame de La Peinière do not mention a specific and own link with the prayer of the Rosaryneither a fellowship of the Rosary historically linked to this advocation, nor an official title of the type "Our Lady of the Rosary of La Peinière." Therefore:

– No consta que el Rosary forme parte de la identidad oficial de la advocación (como sucede, por ejemplo, en santuarios expresamente titulados «del Rosario»). – No consta una pinkish fiesta propia associated with this image.

However, in the ordinary devotional life of a diocesan Marian sanctuary, the Rosario is a natural part of Marian pietyIt is common for groups of pilgrims to pray the Rosary before or after the Mass, in processions, or in times of preparation for the annual pilgrimage. So, even if there is no specific title "of the Rosary,"

Sources: tradition of the sanctuary, diocesan information and Wikipedia in Spanish. The distinction between popular piety and documented ecclesial history is specific to this fact sheet; extraordinary accounts are presented as devotion and not as doctrinal pronunciation.