Went to the procession in the ‘mall’ where sick people … Unbelieveable. Well organised. All the bands went in the procession as part of the International Military Pilgrimage. One is humbled by such faith in this city. Have a look.
When I went I had only read about the miracles, I had no idea on how the whole thing had grown!
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The Marian procession or torchlight procession has existed at the sanctuary since 1872. It takes place daily at 9 pm, from April to the end of October.
Every evening, once night has fallen on the town, thousands of pilgrims gather to walk and sing, flaming torch in hand, from the Grotto of Apparitions to the esplanade of the Rosary Basilica. At the head of the procession, a statue of the Virgin is carried by the pilgrims. This is followed by participants walking in groups behind their pilgrimage banners. Sick pilgrims are always anxious to attend when they can.
You can carry a candle with its paper wind protector on which the traditional song of Lourdes is printed, recalling the story of the Apparitions. Whether you take part or just watch, it is always touching to witness this “magic” moment that brings people together from the four corners of the earth. It’s impossible not to be swept away by the power and beauty of all those flames, whose light spreads far beyond the sanctuary.
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I did this part of the Camino with Amawalkers - this text is from their brochure
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When you arrive by train, the station is at the top of a hill with a long walk down to the town and sanctuary that straddles the Rive Gave. You can get your first pilgrim stamp (tampon in French) at the Pilgrim´s Information centre in the sanctuary and also at the Pilgrim Office in the centre of the town.Lourdes is a small market town famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes said to have occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous on a total of eighteen occasions. At that time, the most prominent feature of the town was the fortified castle that rises up from a rocky escarpment at its centre.
There are three Stations of the Cross to visit which test the faithful - a high station that climbs up the ‘Mount of Calvary’ - a low station across the river and an indoor station suitable for people with disabilities. The Baths do not open until 2 pm but people will line up all day to bathe there. Buy a candle in town for the night vigil (about €2.50 €) when we gather outside the Basilica at 9pm with hundreds of others who are waiting to take part in the candlelight procession. The rooms have a kitchenette. You will be asked to pay a refundable €10 deposit for kitchen utensils and cutlery. Next door to the hotel is a shop that sells the basics, which shuts at midnight, and across the road is a bakery that sells bread, cakes, and croissants. Meet in the foyer for a welcoming get-together at 6.00 pm. If you wish to participate in the candlelight procession which begins at 9.00 pm, we can buy candles on our way to the sanctuary after dinner.
Lourdes has developed into a major place of Roman Catholic pilgrimage and miraculous healings. The 150th Jubilee of the first apparition took place on 11 February 2008 with an outdoor mass attended by approximately 45,000 pilgrims. Today Lourdes has a population of around 15,000 but is able to take in some 5,000,000 pilgrims and tourists every season. With about 270 hotels, Lourdes has the second-greatest number of hotels per square km in France after Paris. It is the joint seat of the Diocese of Tarbes-et-Lourdes and is the largest pilgrimage site in France, the second site being the Basilica of St. Thérèse (Lisieux), in Normandy
We recommend getting to Lourdes early enough to have time to explore. The Petit tourist train runs for 45 min and costs €7. Visit the grotto and look around the Sanctuary complex.
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