Trip to France (Lourdes) - Part 3
VISIT TO LOURDES, FRANCE
May 8-10, 2007
I left Paris on the night train for Lourdes arriving there at 7:00 in the morning. I went straight to Cite St. Pierre along Ave. Mgr. Rodhain which is just outside the center of Lourdes. However, one can just walk from Cite St. Pierre to the grotto - roughly a 20-minute walk.
Cite St. Pierre is a sprawling retreat house-lodging place for pilgrims to Lourdes. On a clear day, one can see the Pyrennes mountains at some spot, as well as most of the different sections of the city of Lourdes.
There is a belltower on one of the hills of Cite St. Pierre.
There is also an old chapel made of stones. There is a daily Mass in this church.
A big church stands on top of the hill overlooking the rest of the retreat house.
Two of the dormitories that house the pilgrims. In the background, one sees the mountains surrounding this place.
Stones and trimmed bushes provide interesting lines and texture to the landscape of Cite St. Pierre. The stations of the Cross dot the passage ways.
Two dormitories meet at the middle where one sees the snow-capped Pyrenees mountains. A kiosko serves as the place where pilgrims could light candles.
The steps towards the main building where pilgrims are welcomed and registered. A statue of Our Lady stands at this spot.
The parking space. Note the white cross which has stained glasses embodied into it.
A statue at the entrance of Cite St. Pierre that manifest the Center's concern for justice and charity.
A pyramidal building that serves as a chapel on the second floor and a meeting hall at the basement. It is located near the entrance of Cite St. Pierre.
The basement of the pyramidal building in Cite St. Pierre.
At the grotto of Lourdes, the pilgrims gather for a morning Mass in English. I joined them in the morning of May 9.
Pilgrims receiving communion during the Mass. Note the sick people on wheelchairs.
The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes and the candles that continue to burn day and night. Note the white roses in bloom.
The grotto is the heart of Lourdes. the rock where we find the Grotto is called Massabielle, meaning the old rock. It was here that Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous between 18th February and 16th July 1858. The statue shows the Apparition in the pose Our Lady took when she said: I am the Immaculate Conception. About 6 million pilgrims and visitors visite the grotto every year.
Candles that burn as if forever - one major symbol in Lourdes. Note the words - This flame continues my prayer.
In front of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Rosary Basilica, designed by the architect Leopold Hardy and built between 1883 and 1889. It has a capacity of 1,500 people.
Various statues of saints and the flags of the world line up the passageway going up the second floor of the Basilica.
The crowd as can be seen from the second floor of the Basilica. A river the water of which come from the Pyrenees flow by the side of the Grotto.
Inside the Basilica with the pilgrims.
A painting of the Resurrection inside the Basilica.
Another main symbol at Lourdes: pilgrims gathering water that comes from the spring that arose out of the Apparitions.
Pilgrims line up the faucets to collect the water believed to be miraculous.
Another major symbol at Lourdes: pilgrims touching the stones of the cave as they line up to say their prayers at the Grotto.
The spring of water at the very heart of the Grotto.
The snow-capped Pyrenees mountains.
Pilgrims buy souvenir at the various shops outside the sanctuaries. These are mainly religious articles.
Tall buildings at the old part of the city of Lourdes. A restaurant/coffee shop is built right at the banks of the river.
The Cachot or the house where St. Bernadette and her family stayed when they no longer had a place to stay. This place served as a prison until 1824 and a place where poor people lived when they had no place to stay. Today it serves as a museum.
Inside the first floor of the Cachot.
At 7:00 PM everynight, there is a procession. The sick and those who take care of them assemble near the grotto to wait for their cue to begin the procession.
The pilgrims then cross the Rosary Square as the procession moves towards the boundary of the square and the town center.
My last view of Lourdes that evening with tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered with candles saying the Rosary. Certainly a sight to see and an experience to treasure.
May 8-10, 2007
I left Paris on the night train for Lourdes arriving there at 7:00 in the morning. I went straight to Cite St. Pierre along Ave. Mgr. Rodhain which is just outside the center of Lourdes. However, one can just walk from Cite St. Pierre to the grotto - roughly a 20-minute walk.
Cite St. Pierre is a sprawling retreat house-lodging place for pilgrims to Lourdes. On a clear day, one can see the Pyrennes mountains at some spot, as well as most of the different sections of the city of Lourdes.
There is a belltower on one of the hills of Cite St. Pierre.
There is also an old chapel made of stones. There is a daily Mass in this church.
A big church stands on top of the hill overlooking the rest of the retreat house.
Two of the dormitories that house the pilgrims. In the background, one sees the mountains surrounding this place.
Stones and trimmed bushes provide interesting lines and texture to the landscape of Cite St. Pierre. The stations of the Cross dot the passage ways.
Two dormitories meet at the middle where one sees the snow-capped Pyrenees mountains. A kiosko serves as the place where pilgrims could light candles.
The steps towards the main building where pilgrims are welcomed and registered. A statue of Our Lady stands at this spot.
The parking space. Note the white cross which has stained glasses embodied into it.
A statue at the entrance of Cite St. Pierre that manifest the Center's concern for justice and charity.
A pyramidal building that serves as a chapel on the second floor and a meeting hall at the basement. It is located near the entrance of Cite St. Pierre.
The basement of the pyramidal building in Cite St. Pierre.
At the grotto of Lourdes, the pilgrims gather for a morning Mass in English. I joined them in the morning of May 9.
Pilgrims receiving communion during the Mass. Note the sick people on wheelchairs.
The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes and the candles that continue to burn day and night. Note the white roses in bloom.
The grotto is the heart of Lourdes. the rock where we find the Grotto is called Massabielle, meaning the old rock. It was here that Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous between 18th February and 16th July 1858. The statue shows the Apparition in the pose Our Lady took when she said: I am the Immaculate Conception. About 6 million pilgrims and visitors visite the grotto every year.
Candles that burn as if forever - one major symbol in Lourdes. Note the words - This flame continues my prayer.
In front of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Rosary Basilica, designed by the architect Leopold Hardy and built between 1883 and 1889. It has a capacity of 1,500 people.
Various statues of saints and the flags of the world line up the passageway going up the second floor of the Basilica.
The crowd as can be seen from the second floor of the Basilica. A river the water of which come from the Pyrenees flow by the side of the Grotto.
Inside the Basilica with the pilgrims.
A painting of the Resurrection inside the Basilica.
Another main symbol at Lourdes: pilgrims gathering water that comes from the spring that arose out of the Apparitions.
Pilgrims line up the faucets to collect the water believed to be miraculous.
Another major symbol at Lourdes: pilgrims touching the stones of the cave as they line up to say their prayers at the Grotto.
The spring of water at the very heart of the Grotto.
The snow-capped Pyrenees mountains.
Pilgrims buy souvenir at the various shops outside the sanctuaries. These are mainly religious articles.
Tall buildings at the old part of the city of Lourdes. A restaurant/coffee shop is built right at the banks of the river.
The Cachot or the house where St. Bernadette and her family stayed when they no longer had a place to stay. This place served as a prison until 1824 and a place where poor people lived when they had no place to stay. Today it serves as a museum.
Inside the first floor of the Cachot.
At 7:00 PM everynight, there is a procession. The sick and those who take care of them assemble near the grotto to wait for their cue to begin the procession.
The pilgrims then cross the Rosary Square as the procession moves towards the boundary of the square and the town center.
My last view of Lourdes that evening with tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered with candles saying the Rosary. Certainly a sight to see and an experience to treasure.
posted by kakay at 1:53 AM
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