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Origin and history

The Shrine of Lourdes is a Catholic Marian pilgrimage site born from the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. These apparitions, recognized by the Church in 1862, led to the construction of a 52-hectare estate including the Massabielle Cave, three basilicas (Immaculée-Conception, Rosaire, Saint-Pie-X), chapels, and spaces dedicated to processions and the sick. The cave, the heart of the sanctuary, is home to a water source renowned for its miraculous healings, attracting millions of faithful since the 19th century.

The first basilica, the Immaculate Conception (1866-1871), was built on the plans of Hippolyte Durand to respond to the request of the Virgin transmitted by Bernadette: "Go tell the priests that a chapel is being built here". The increasing influx of pilgrims required the construction of the Basilica of the Rosary (1883-1889) and the underground Basilica of Saint-Pie-X (1956-1958), designed by Pierre Vago and Eugene Freyssinet to accommodate 20,000 faithful. The estate, managed by the diocese of Tarbes, is organized around processive axes and spaces such as the esplanade du Rosaire, able to accommodate 40,000 people.

The sanctuary has undergone major changes, such as the retreat of the Pau gave in 1858 to facilitate access to the cave, or recent developments (2014-2018) following floods. The pilgrimages, initially organized by special trains in 1866, are now diversified with arrivals by plane or bus. Lourdes, France's second largest hotel city, hosts 3.5 million visitors annually, including a majority of individual pilgrims. The Medical Findings Office, established in 1884, has recognized 70 miraculous healings to date.

The Notre-Dame de Lourdes Hospital, founded in 1885, plays a key role in welcoming the sick and disabled, with 20,000 to 30,000 volunteers from 60 countries. The apparitions, declared "supernatural and divine" by Bishop Laurence in 1862, transformed Lourdes into a symbol of Marian devotion, marked by rites such as "the gesture of water" or torches processions. The sanctuary remains a place of spirituality and gathering, despite modern challenges such as the decline of organized pilgrimages.

The estate also includes symbolic places such as the Calvaire des Bretons (1900), offered by the Breton dioceses, or the crèches of Emilio Burri (2019), illustrating scenes related to Bernadette. The reception facilities, such as the Accueil Notre-Dame (904 beds) or the Village des jeunes, complete this site, which has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1995, where architectural heritage, collective memory and contemporary religious practice are associated.

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