Nuestra Señora de Lourdes de Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré

Marian Advocation of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (Quebec)
Recognized by the Church

Dentro del recinto del gran santuario nacional de Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, en la región de la Capitale-Nationale (Quebec), se levanta una gruta dedicada a Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, construida como reproducción de la cueva de Massabielle. Según las indicaciones históricas del propio santuario, la gruta se erigió a finales del siglo XIX, en torno a los años 1890; no consta con seguridad la fecha exacta, por lo que conviene situarla con prudencia en «c. 1890s». Su construcción se enmarca en el impulso devocional que llevó al gran santuario consagrado a Santa Ana a incorporar con el tiempo diversas devociones marianas.

Main data

Origin and history

Dentro del recinto del gran santuario nacional de Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, en la región de la Capitale-Nationale (Quebec), se levanta una gruta dedicada a Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, construida como reproducción de la cueva de Massabielle. Según las indicaciones históricas del propio santuario, la gruta se erigió a finales del siglo XIX, en torno a los años 1890; no consta con seguridad la fecha exacta, por lo que conviene situarla con prudencia en «c. 1890s». Su construcción se enmarca en el impulso devocional que llevó al gran santuario consagrado a Santa Ana a incorporar con el tiempo diversas devociones marianas.

The image and the sanctuary

The grotto reproduces, in the style of Lourdes, the cave of Massabielle, with the image of the Virgin in the place where tradition places the apparitions. It is located on the outside of the Shrine of Sainte-Anne@-@ de-Beaupré and, in time, became a place of silent prayer and of deposit of devotees. Many pilgrims, after visiting the Basilica of Saint Anne, come to the cave to pray to the Virgin of Lourdes in a climate of recollection similar to that of Massabielle. The details of the other artistic elements of the grotto in public documentation are not recorded.

Sponsorship and coronation

The Grotto is a Marian devotion within the great national sanctuary dedicated to Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary. There is no canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of Lourdes of this enclosure or a specific patronage attributed to this particular grotto.

Party and devotion

The grotto is widely frequented by groups of pilgrims. The sanctuary promotes the prayer of the Rosary in its pilgrimages and Marian vigil, and the Grotto is one of the points where it is prayed, especially in the processions with summer candles. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated on February 11, although the main activity of the compound is concentrated around devotion to Santa Ana and to the seasonal pilgrimages.

Link to the Rosary

The link with the Rosary is narrow, as it corresponds to all Lourdesin devotion: in Massabielle the Virgin showed herself with a rosary in her hands and taught Bernadette to pray. In this sanctuary, the Rosary prays in a special way to the grotto during the processions with summer candles and in the Marian vigil, so that the prayer of the Rosary is a regular part of the worship that is given there to Our Lady of Lourdes.