Our Lady of Lourdes Anniversary

February 10, 2010. The Hospitality of Our Lady of Lourdes, an association that aims to welcome the sick who turn to this sanctuary, is celebrating its 125th anniversary. The first person to congratulate them was Pope Benedict XVI. Currently the association has about 20 thousand volunteers who take care of the sick from the time they check in. A group of them picks them up as soon as they land, either by train or air. They are prepared with wheel chairs and walkers to welcome them to the hospital. 

LOURDES LIVE IS AVAILABLE AT THE WEB PAGE OF THE SANCTUARY

In our Medjugorje church we also honor Our Lady of Lourds which is inside of the church. Of course for the well known reasons the image of Our Lady of Medjugorje is not presented trough that statue but rather trough that one in Tihaljina and later the painting made by Carmelo Puzzolo held in Yellow Building.


Did you know that in Croatia we have a "replica" of the Lourds ? It is one of our favorite "breaks" on the way to Split airport.It is called Vepric. My French pilgrims call it (Petite Lourdes)

Vepric, a Croatian sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes was founded in 1908 by Bishop dr. Juraj Caric (1867 - 1921), who himself was burried on the premises of the sanctuary.

The natural cave as well as the surrounding landscape formed by hills and the creek running in the valley, greatly reminds pilgrims of the famous sanctuary of Lourdes in France, where Our Lady appeared 18 times ot Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.

On the sanctuary, a chapel and a sacristy with an outside altar, as well as well as several confessionnals, a Way of the Cross, a house for retreats and paths for processions have already been constructed. A new house is curently being built for the purposes of the sanctuary.

Because of its natural beauty and its peacuful surroundings, this sanctuary is visited by a great number of pilgrims, throught the year. Te most important dates for pilgrimages are: February 11th, March 25th, August 15th, September 7-8th