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The Churches of the Domain
During the 13th Apparition Our Lady said to
Bernadette "Let the people come in procession, and let a
chapel be built here". This would become a central
issue in the development of Lourdes as a shrine. It was felt at all
times that, in saying that, Our Lady wished that the area be
developed. Since then there have been several basilica, churches and
chapels built within the Domain area. A brief description of some of
them can be found below.
When the construction of a church in Lourdes was discussed it was
decided to construct a crypt into the centre of Massabielle Rock and
a church whose choir would be located directly above the site of the
apparitions. In 1862 the bishop of Tarbes, Monsignor Laurence,
entrusted the design to the official departement architect,
Hippolyte Durand. Work commenced on October 14th, 1862. Four years
later, the Crypt was completed. It was inaugurated, in the presence
of Bernadette, on May 21st, 1866.
Inside the Crypt there are four chapels based around all four sides
of the high altar. These are dedicated to the Sacred Heart, Saint
Peter, Saint Joseph and Saint John the Evangelist. Above the altar
there is a statue of Madonna and Child, which was sculpted in
1868 by Joseph Fabisch.
The Holy Sacrament is stored in the high altar. The Host, which is
on public display all the time, is kept in a monstrance donated by
Pope John Paul II during his pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1983. The host
is set in a triangular crystal which symbolises that Holy Trinity of
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Host lies
on a vine branch within the monstrance.
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The Upper Basilica is built directly above the Crypt and it's spire
rises seventy metres above ground level. It was opened to the public
in 1871 and, in 1874, Pope Pius IX raised it to the rank of minor
basilica. The tympanum above the main portal bears his image in
recognition of this.
The basilica is made up of a single nave which opens out onto ten
chapels dedicated to saints who had a particular veneration for the
Virgin Mary. Of the chapels the two most interesting are the First
and the Tenth. These chapels are located immediately to the left and
right of the entry-way. The First Chapel, or the Chapel of Saint
Germaine, contains three large marble slabs on which the dates of
the eighteen apparitions and the words of Our Lady have been
engraved. In the Tenth Chapel, or the Chapel of Saint Bertrand of
Comminges, you can read the verdict of Monsignor Laurence's inquiry
which proclaimed the apparitions to be genuine.
The nave is lit by a series of stained-glass windows illustrating
the story of the Immaculate Conception from Earthly Paradise to the
proclamation of the dogma, by Pope Pius IX, in 1854. In the chapels
the windows tell the story of Our Lady's apparitions to Bernadette
and of pilgrimage to Lourdes. Under the guidance of Canon Lambert of
Paris, the windows were designed and constructed by Laurent Gsell.
Inside also stands a statue of the Crowned Virgin. This statue,
which was sculpted by Emilien Cabuchet, was placed in the basilica
during the ceremony of the coronation of Our Lady of Lourdes.
There are five more Chapels around the Chevet which are dedicated to
Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of La Salette, Our Lady of
Victories, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of Pontmain.
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In 1875 it was decided to build a new church dedicated to the
Rosary. The church was designed and built by Leopold Hardy and took
six years to complete. During construction, it was necessary to dig
into the rock and concrete foundations were sunk to a depth of three
metres below the level of the River Gave. The church was inaugurated
in 1889, consecrated in 1901, and raised to the rank of a basilica
by Pope Pius XI in 1926. The dome of the church bears a crown and a
cross which commemorates the coronation of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The tympanum above the portal shows Mary and the Infant Jesus giving
the Rosary to Saint Dominic. To the left is a medallion of Pope Leo
XIII, who instituted the liturgical festival of the Immaculate
Conception. To the right is a medallion of Pope Pius XII who
proclaimed the Marian Year of 1954.
As soon as you enter the basilica you are welcomed by a painting of
our Lady of Lourdes on the vaulted ceiling of the choir. This was
painted by Edgar Maxence in 1920. the basilica has three naves laid
out in the shape of a Greek Cross. It is said to be neo-byzantine in
style. There are Fifteen side chapels in the basilica, each of which
contains a mosaic depicting one of the Mysteries of the Rosary. The
mosaics were produced by Facchina in Paris between 1895 and 1907.
In the last chapel the scene of the coronation of the Virgin Mary
shows some of the figures who marked the shrine's history in the
years 1858 to 1908 (the Fiftieth anniversary of the apparitions).
These figures include Pope Pius IX, Pope Leo XIII and Saint Pius X,
Monsignor Laurence (bishop of the apparitions), Father Sempe (first
superior of the Lourdes chaplains) and the miraculously cured Louis
Bouriette and Justin Bouhort.
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As the number of people travelling to Lourdes grew it was decided
that a new basilica was necessary. Due to a lack of room within the
Domain area, and no doubt conscious of the appearance of the area,
it was decided to build an Underground Basilica. This was done in
1956. The basilica, which is nearly the size of St Peter's in Rome,
is dedicated to Pope Pius X. It was consecrated by Cardinal Roncalli
(the future Pope John XXIII) on March 25th, 1958. This was to mark
the centenary of the apparitions.
The building structure itself is very significant. It is an oval
shape, of concrete structure, supported by fifty-eight triangular
posts which form twenty-nine porticoes. This design provides maximum
visibility as well as making best use of the space available. This
is the setting for some of Lourdes' largest gatherings: the
ceremonies of the major pilgrimages, and on rainy or very hot days,
the processions. Furthermore on Wednesday and Sunday mornings the
International Mass of the Sick is held at 9.30 a.m.
The basilica can be entered by way of two ramps to the east and
west. The high altar is located in the centre of the oval, with a
53-stop organ to the south, and to the north the Papal Throne and
seats of the concelebrating priests. The Holy Sacrament is kept in
the Pax Christi Chapel (the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament) which is
located to the north of the altar in the wall. The altar in this
chapel contains a relic of Pope Saint Pius X.
There is a small altar on the eastern side of the basilica where
smaller congregations can celebrate. In the centre of the eastern
wall there is a second chapel dedicated to Saint Theresa of the
Christ Child. The basilica seems to be very bare (especially in
contrast to others within the Domain) and its only decoration is
three series of unleaded stained-glass widows. The colour provided
by these contrast beautifully with the rest of the building.
On either ramp of the basilica are two series of devotions. On the
Eastern ramp are the fifteen station of the Path of Burning Love.
This was constructed by Denys de Solere. On the western ramp the
fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary by Robert Falucci. In 1993 a
third series was added around the chevet. This Bernadette's Way
of Light is based on sketches by Rene Margotton. It depicts the
eighteen apparitions and scenes from Bernadette's life.
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This "chapel" marks the exact spot from which Bernadette
saw the Apparition for the last time. The church was built in 1986
and dedicated on March 25th, 1988. The design of the church is
completely modern. An International Youth Mass is held here every
Saturday evening.
The church holds anything up to five thousand people. However this
can be reduced with the aid of partitions within the church. It is
basically an amphitheatre in design and mobile partitions can be
used to split the church by approximately two thirds to one third.
There are also eight rooms off the main church, as well as the Mount
Carmel lecture theatre, which itself seats five hundred. The Annual
Conference of the Bishops of France is held in this room, as well as
many major pilgrimage meetings.
The church is built on the far side of the river from the Grotto, in
an area called the Meadow or Prairie. The area around the church can
be used for open-air masses and ceremonies. Many pilgrimages, as
well as the Eucharistic Congresses, begin and end here. An annual
Assumption mass, attended by eighty thousand people, is held here.
Indeed Pope John Paul II said mass in this area in 1982, before a
congregation of three hundred thousand.
The Meadow is also used for a Way of the Cross for sick pilgrims.
This area is in the shade of the trees and is all on the level
ground, so it is perfect for this purpose. The Stations are engraved
in Lava and set into the wall that runs alongside the River Gave. At
the far end of the Meadow are two Rotundas, used for general
meetings and Eucharistic Worship.
Of more recent times the Saint Bernadette's Church is used as the
starting point for major processions. The extra room around the
church, as opposed to the Grotto area, makes it perfect for this
purpose. In it's own way the Church, which is so modern by Lourdes
standards, is of great attraction to the youth of Lourdes.
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