Our Lady of Lights

Marian title of Goult (Provenza-Alpes-Costa Azul)

La devoción a Notre-Dame de Lumières (Our Lady of Lights) is linked to the homonymous sanctuary located in the municipality of Goultbetween Avignon and Apt in the Luberon region (Vaucluse, France). According to the information of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the place was Christianized already in the Antiquity, had an ancient Marian oratorio and later a church dedicated to the Virgin under the title "Mother of eternal Light."

Main data

Origin and history

La devoción a Notre-Dame de Lumières (Our Lady of Lights) is linked to the homonymous sanctuary located in the municipality of Goultbetween Avignon and Apt in the Luberon region (Vaucluse, France). According to the information of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the place was Christianized already in the Antiquity, had an ancient Marian oratorio and later a church dedicated to the Virgin under the title "Mother of eternal Light."

Documented history. In 1661 a new church was built in the place, and the 13 September 1669 was solemnly consecrated by Mons. Jean- Baptiste de Sade de Mazan, Bishop of Cavaillon, "under the title of the Mother of eternal Light" (Mater aeternae luces). During the 17th and 18th century the sanctuary was known in the region for special graces attributed to the intercession of the Virgin and for a marked increase of pilgrims, especially from Apt and the people of Luberon. The French Revolution was a major crisis for the sanctuary; in the 19th century the Oblates took their custody and revived the life of pilgrimages.

Tradition / legend. Local devotion links the title of "Our Lady of Lights" to Prodigious lights or lights appeared in the 17th century in the Luberon area, which were allegedly interpreted by the faithful as a sign of Mary's protection over the region and origin of the luminous title of the Virgin. However, the sources consulted do not provide detailed accounts or precise documentation on these manifestations; this is therefore a pious tradition of a local nature, without fully verifiable historical data.

(In the user's request "Colombia" is mentioned; in the sources consulted there is no link of Notre-Dame de Lumières in Goult with Colombia: the sanctuary is clearly French).

The image and the sanctuary

The accessible sources focus mainly on the history of the place and the pilgrimages; and no describen with técnic detalle la imagen (size type, material, exact date, author). It is not safe if it is an old size preserved from the 17th century or a later image; there are no precise data on its iconography beyond the Marian title of "Eternal Light." Therefore, any detailed description (size, style, specific materials) would be conjectural: no consta in the documents consulted.

The sanctuary is known as Our Lady of Lights Shrine, diocesan sanctuary located in the municipality of Goultbetween Avignon and Apt, approximately 50 km north of Aix-en@-@ Provence. The whole includes the Marian church and adjacent dependencies that have historically served to host pilgrims and retreats. The place is today entrusted to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculatewho present it as a Marian sanctuary of the diocese, but no consta the title of a minor basilica or national sanctuary; the sources expressly mention it as diocesan sanctuary.

Architectural sources point to a simple-style church, adapted to the preaching and reception of pilgrims, without highlighting particular monumental elements. In the absence of a detailed description in the sources consulted, no specific characteristics of the facade, plant or interior decoration are mentioned beyond its character as a Marian temple of pilgrimage.

Sponsorship and coronation

The local tradition presents Our Lady of Lights how Patron of the Apt and Luberon regiongiven the strong roots of devotion in this area and the diocesan character of the sanctuary. The documentation consulted explicitly states the importance of Notre-Dame de Lumières for the region, but there are no magisterial texts or specific decrees defining titles beyond regional devotional recognition. A patronazgo regional de hecho (Apt and the Luberon), without evidence of a wider canonical proclamation (e.g. national).

As for the canonical coronation, in the sources consulted (history of the sanctuary, information of the Oblates, general repertories of Marian advocations) does not contain a documented canonical coronation of the image of Notre-Dame de Lumières in Goult. If there is a local or diocesan coronation, it does not appear in the repertories of universal canonical coronations or in available sources.

Party and devotion

In local practice, devotion to Our Lady of Lights is particularly linked to the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, August 15, held in the sanctuary with solemn function and regional pilgrimages, in accordance with the tradition expressed in the request and in common Marian practice in France (Marian major feast of the calendar). The general information of the sanctuary mentions the importance of the seasonal Marian celebrations, but does not detail a liturgical calendar different from the Assumption; therefore, it is considered the 15 August as the main party of this advocation in the sanctuary.

Los rasgos de la devotion incluyen: – Peregrinaciones de fieles de la diócesis y de la región de Apt, especialmente en torno a las grandes fiestas marianas (Asunción, otras solemnidades de la Virgen). – Uso del santuario como lugar de spiritual retreats, exercises and missions, de la mano de los Oblatos, lo que mantiene una devoción mariana viva y orientada a la conversión y a los sacramentos. – Tradición de acudir a Nuestra Señora de las Luces para pedir light and discernment in important decisions, as well as comfort in situations of inner or family darkness, in consistency with the Marian title.

No precise statistical data on annual inflow (number of pilgrims) have been found, and no specific processions (routes, processing images, typical promises) are described in detail, so any specific figure or custom exceeding the above no consta in the verified sources.

Link to the Rosary

The specific sources on Notre-Dame de Lumières do not mention a particular link to historical of this advocation with the prayer of Rosary (for example, the Rosary's cofradies, miracles linked to the Rosary, specific indulgences). Therefore, does not contain an own and documented relationship with the Rosary beyond general Marian devotion.

However, as in most Marian shrines, it is reasonable to assume - by analogy with other pilgrimage centres - that the Rosary is a regular part of the mercy of the pilgrims and the Marian celebrations (rosaries meditated, vigil, processions with the prayer of mysteries), although this does not appear explicitly in the sources.

From a general mariological perspective, the title of "Our Lady of Lights" armoniza profundamente con el Rosario: – En los mysteries of joy, light, pain and glory, la Virgen acompaña al creyente en el paso de la oscuridad a la luz, desde la Encarnación hasta la glorificación. – El Rosario, como meditación de la vida de Cristo “con los ojos y el corazón de María”, ayuda a acoger la light of faith in the midst of spiritual "nights," which conforms to the spiritual meaning of going to Mary as "Light" on the way.

Thus, even if there is no documented tradition of its own that strictly links this advocation to the Rosary, the prayer of the Rosary can be considered a very appropriate way to live and deepen devotion to Our Lady of Lights, asking with her for the grace of always walking in the light of Christ.