Activities offered by the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes
The activities available at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes enable pilgrims to discover or rediscover the beauty and simplicity of this place and the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, as well as the relevance of her message of peace, comfort and hope.
LOURDES FILM
The film presenting Lourdes and its message is shown every day at the Information Centre:
Salle Peyramale in French everyday in 9.30 a.m.
Salle Leuret: – 1:45 p.m. in German; – 2.30 p.m. in Italian; – 3:15 p.m. in Spanish and 4 p.m. in English.
IN BERNADETTE'S FOOTSTEPS
One of the best ways to find out about the history of Lourdes is to walk in Bernadette’s footsteps. You can follow a circular route that takes you to the main places where she lived, from her birth in 1844 to her departure for Nevers in 1866, which were the setting for the apparitions of 1858. Let Saint Bernadette guide you either by following this path yourself, or by being accompanied by a volunteer member of the Sanctuary’s reception team, a nun, a seminarian or a priest.
Information at the Information Centre of the Sanctuary
Duration: 1h 30mins
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Every day and in various languages, the Information Centre offers you the chance to pray the Stations of the Cross, led by one of the Sanctuary’s priests or a nun on mission in the Sanctuary, enabling you to experience and meditate on Christ’s Passion. Every day (except Sunday) from 9:30 a.m.
Information at the Information Centre of the Sanctuary
Duration: 1h 30mins
LISTENING POINT
We never come to Lourdes on our own: each time, we are accompanied by all our family and friends who have asked us to pray for them, to light a candle or to bring back some water. Mary is waiting for us at the foot of the Rock. She welcomes us, listens to us and comforts us.
Sometimes we need to put into words what is weighing on our hearts. In Lourdes, there are trained people available to listen to you and help you focus more clearly, or talk about what touched you during your stay in Lourdes.
Information at the Information Centre of the Sanctuary
CELEBRATING THE GESTURES OF LOURDES
This year, the sanctuary is inviting you to take part in the gestures of popular devotion which are at the heart of the Lourdes Pilgrimage. These gestures are those that Bernadette made during the apparitions: going into the Grotto and touching the rock, drinking at the spring and washing there, lighting a candle. These gestures can be experienced individually or in groups.
Here are some suggestions that will help you experience these gestures of faith, either as a pilgrimage or in a group.
The gesture of the rock, all day, except during celebrations.
The water gesture at the Baths: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The gesture of light, all day at the chapels of light.
For the water gesture, throughout the pilgrimage season, volunteers help to carry out this symbolic gesture at the Baths. It can be done individually, as a couple, as a family… but especially with Mary and Bernadette!
PROCESSIONS
If you wish to continue your day pilgrim experience, join the Eucharistic procession with the blessing of the sick at 5:00 p.m., in which all the pilgrims present in Lourdes set off on a journey. The procession travels from the Grotto of Lourdes to the underground basilica, where the sick await the real presence of God among humankind.
During the torchlight procession at 9:00 p.m., the pilgrims set off once again, praying to Mary by candlelight and accompanied by songs and prayers in all the different languages of groups currently present in the Sanctuary.
THE WAY OF COMPASSION
The Way of Compassion offers support parents who have lost a child before birth, who have not been able to have a burial, and sometimes who have not even been able to give their child a name. It is also for parents who have lost a child to death, drugs or poverty; a child whose adoption or disability has not been a positive experience…
Parents can write the child’s name or give the child a name in a book that will be displayed in the Adoration chapel so that the Lord may watch over them.
The path begins at the feet of the Crowned Virgin, passing through the chapels of the joyful mysteries in the Rosary Basilica. The Grotto is an important stop on this journey where parents can place themselves in Mary’s hands. Parents will be able to write their children’s names in the chapel of the Good Samaritan and light a candle in the Chapels of Light for this life that ended too soon.
The journey ends at around 3.30pm with rosary at the Grotto, where the priest present will pray for those who have followed the Way of Compassion.
Every day at 2pm and by appointment. Information at the Information Centre.
