The baths at the Marian shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France have fully reopened for the first time in four years for France’s national pilgrimage for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary this week.
According to the news station Europe 1, more than 30,000 pilgrims are expected in Lourdes for the Aug 15 feast day. The weeklong celebration will culminate in a Mass and candlelight rosary procession, with thousands of sick in wheelchairs leading the way.
The immersion pools at Lourdes have been closed since 2020 due first to the pandemic and later to renovation work. During the closure, pilgrims were invited to participate in a “water gesture” by washing their face, hands, and forearms with holy water from the miraculous spring.