The city Lourdes is the third biggest pilgrim destination in the world after the Vatican and the Notre Dame in Mexico, with six million visitors every year. Every evening from April to October at 21 hours there is a procession with candles below the church Sanctuaires Notre Dame de Lourdes. Many sick and disabled persons participate.
I went there with the children to have a look... difficult to take pictures but a moving experience to hear the singing, see all the lights and the mass of people participating. When the children get bigger, we will come back to visit the city of Lourdes and the sacred well. All around us we heard different languages because people come as pilgrims from all over the world to this place. As a protestant I felt a bit bewildered, because we don't celebrate saints, and I had some trouble explaining the whole thing to the children. I need to prepare things like this better!
The paper lanterns protect the candles and make the light yellow. Very pretty in the dark.
The pilgrims visit the holy source discovered by Saint Bernadette. Its sacred water is supposed to be healing. You see many statues of the mother Mary and bottles to bring home the sacred water.
Lourdes is a small city but rich. This is just one example of the beautiful architecture in the city centre.
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