The small town of Lourdes at the foot of the Pyrenees is one of the most famous Marian pilgrimage sites in the world. Anyone who comes to Lourdes quickly realizes that this place connects. The sacred district of Lourdes is a place of prayer, trust, peace, respect, unity and also silence. A spiritual place that you can experience in different and very individual ways:
In front of the cave or on the banks of the Gave river, we can spend a time of silence to present to Mary everything that is on our mind: suffering, sorrows, but also joys and thanks.
Touching the rock face of the cave or relying on it has a deep symbolic meaning: In the spiritual sense of the Bible, the rock symbolizes trust in God, the foundation of faith and also the word of God, on which we can firmly rely.
The rosary is celebrated in French every day at 3:30pm. During the pilgrimage season, the rosary is prayed in German every Tuesday at 14:30.
Holy Masses are celebrated daily — in all major languages of the world and in the various sites of the sanctuary: in the Basilica of the Rosary, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the underground Basilica of St. Pius X and 19 other places of worship.
In total, around 10,000 Holy Masses are held each year in the holy district of the pilgrimage site.
The water from Lourdes comes from the spring at the bottom of the grotto, to which Our Lady of Lourdes invites you to come “to drink and wash us.” It is open to all pilgrims to be dipped in the holy water of the hospitaliers' baths.
Although some people were healed after using the water from the cave, scientific analyses have not identified any particular properties of the water, as Saint Bernadette said: “A single drop is enough! It is faith that you need.”
In Lourdes, candles are lit to entrust all matters to the Virgin Mary. The burning, consuming flame extends our prayer. In the light chapels, you can light and set up candles with a view of the grotto together with millions of pilgrims.
The Marian Light Procession takes place every day at 21:00. Together with pilgrims from all over the world, you bear the light of Christ as you pray the rosary and sing the Ave Maria of Lourdes to strengthen faith and hope.
Immerse yourself in a small collection of pictures from the Marian pilgrimage site of Lourdes.
