Lourdes (above) is a small town in the Pyrenees famous for the appearances of Our Lady of Lourdes to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Lourdes has developed into a major site of Roman Catholic pilgrimage. Today Lourdes is visited by 5,000,000 pilgrims and tourists a year. It has the second greatest number of hotels per sq km in
France after Paris.
Jasna Gora Monastery (Luminous Mount Monastery) in
Czestochowa is the most famous shrine to the Virgin Mary in
Poland. Its most precious treasure is the image of Black Madonna attributed with miraculous powers, attracting 4,500,000 a year. Since the medieval ages, the walking pilgrimages are organized to Jasna Gora. (The average distance of 350 km in 11 days).
Fatima in
Portugal was recognized after three children witnessed appearances of 'a lady dressed in white,' who also sent a message with three secrets: first, a vision of Hell; the second, prophesied the WWII; the mysterious third secret is held by the Vatican.
Loreto in
Italy is best known for Basilica della Santa Casa (Shrine of the Holy House), a popular Catholic pilgrimage site since the 13th century. According to tradition, it is the house in which the Virgin Mary lived.
Altotting, a small town in the German region of Bavaria, is famous for Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of Grace). One of the most visited shrines in
Germany. According to the legend, in 1489, a three year old boy, who had drowned in the river was revived after being placed in front of a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary by his grieving mother. According to the tradition, the hearts of the deceased Bavarian kings are kept at the Chapel of Grace. The most famous heart is of the 'mad' king, Ludwig II of Bavaria, the builder of Neuschwanstein Castle.
Selcuk is one of the most visited sites in
Turkey. In the near by ancient city of Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary was discovered in the 19th century, steadily developing into the pilgrimage site. It is believed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived there until her Assumption (the end of the earthly life).
Mariazell is the most important pilgrimage site in
Austria. One of the legends says that Henry Margrave of Moravia and his wife upon being healed of severe gout through Our Lady of Mariazell made the pilgrimage to Mariazell in 1200. Today, the wooden image of the Virgin Mary is attributed with miraculous powers and about 1,000,000 pilgrims visit the site each year.
Velankanni, a small town in southern
India, is home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health. This religious site is known for three miracles that can be traced back to the mid-16th century: apparition of Mary and the Child to a slumbering shepherd boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the rescue of Portugese sailors from a violent sea storm. The nine day festival and celebration draws almost 2,000,000 pilgrims each year.
Pribram in
Czech Republic is also a major pilgrimage site.
