Grotta di Lourdes

This article is about the replica of the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens. For the Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, France, see Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. For the Vatican Grotto(es), see St Peter's Basilica.

Grotta di Lourdes
The Vatican Gardens facing the Grotta di Lourdes
Map
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General information
LocationVatican City
Coordinates41°54′10″N 012°26′54″E / 41.90278°N 12.44833°E / 41.90278; 12.44833

Grotta di Lourdes (also Grotta della Madonna di Lourdes)[1] is an artificial cave in the Vatican gardens. It was built in 1902–05 and is a replica of the Lourdes Grotto in France. The context of building this grotto is the vision of the Madonna that a young girl, Bernadette Soubirous, experienced 18 times. Prior to that the Pope had promulgated the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854.[2]

Pope Francis, two days after his election as Roman Pontiff, visited the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on the afternoon of 15 March 2013 and offered prayers before the statue of the Virgin Mary.[3]

  1. ^ Pucci, Eugenio (1964). The Vatican City: complete guide for a visit to the Papal State, to St. Peter's and the Vatican museums. Bonechi edizioni il turisimo. p. 8.
  2. ^ "VATICANO: la riproduzione della Grotta di Lourdes nei Giardini della città Leonina" (in Italian). Lucisullest.it. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  3. ^ "The Pope at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens". L’Osservatore Romano. Retrieved 10 May 2013.