Massabielle ( Fr. Massabielle , Fr. Grotte de Massabielle ) is a grotto in the French city of Lourdes , a place of pilgrimage for Catholics . In this grotto, according to Bernadette Subiru, in 1858 she observed 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary , and here, at the direction of the Virgin Mary, she discovered a source of water, now revered as miraculous.
| Masabiel | |
|---|---|
| fr Massabielle | |
 | |
| Specifications | |
| Depth | 9.5 m |
| Length | 9.9 m |
| Location | |
| A country |
|
| Region | South - Pyrenees |
Content
Description
The grotto is located on the territory of the sanctuary in Lourdes on the banks of the river Gave de Pau . The grotto is located in a 27 meter high rock, also called Masabiel, which means “old rock” [1] . The grotto is shallow, complex in shape, has a karst nature and is 3.8 meters high, 9.5 meters deep and 9.85 meters wide [1] . The walls of the grotto are smooth and wet thanks to karst waters. It consists of three unequal parts, in the central part there is an altar for serving the mass . In the upper right corner of the cave is a two-meter statue of the Virgin Mary , installed in 1864 [1] .
Source
The source of water located in the grotto is one of the karst sources feeding the river Gave de Pau . At present, the source is sealed with glass, and water is diverted from it to the pump room located near the cave, where anyone can dial it; and also in pools for washing [2] . Many Catholics worship the miraculous water. Since 1858, about 7,000 cases of unexplained healing have been recorded. According to 2013, only 69 of them are officially recognized by the Church as miraculous healings [3] . The source water in the grotto is slightly calcified and does not differ in chemical composition from similar nearby sources [2] .
Pilgrimages
More than 5 million pilgrims visit Lourdes annually [4] . Masabiel Cave and the two basilicas erected above it: the neo-Byzantine Basilica of the Rosary ( fr. Basilique du rosaire ) [5] and the neo-Gothic Upper Basilica ( fr. Basilique supérieure ), it is also the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception [6], which is the core of the Lourdes sanctuary .
Notes
- 2 1 2 3 La-grotte-de-Lourdes (inaccessible link) . The date of circulation is June 1, 2015. Archived April 25, 2015.
- ↑ 1 2 The water (inaccessible link) . The date of circulation is June 1, 2015. Archived on January 27, 2015.
- ↑ La 69ème guérison miraculeuse de Lourdes (Inaccessible link) . The date of circulation is June 1, 2015. Archived December 24, 2013.
- ↑ Lourdes, deuxième cité hôtelière de France ]
- ↑ La basilique Notre-Dame du Rosaire (Inaccessible link) . The date of circulation is June 1, 2015. Archived January 19, 2015.
- ↑ Basilique de l'Immaculée Conception (inaccessible link) . The date of circulation is June 1, 2015. Archived January 19, 2015.
Links
- Sanctuary site in Lourdes (Not available link) . Archived August 11, 2013.
- Lourdes Official Travel Website