Lourdes

Lourdes is 500 miles SW of Paris in the foothills of the Pyreness.  The town has 15,000 residents and over 5million visitors a year.  Every night, 365 nights a year they have a candle light procession through the grotto and around the down town behind a statue of Mary.  The Knights of Malta carry hundreds of people on these blue "liters".  Our group lit one of the very large candles for the Health System community and we all signed it ahead of time.   We stood for more than 1/2 hour before we could join the procession behind these liters.  The picture of the Grotto is difficult to see.  This is where a young
a young, poor girl, St. Bernadette, saw Mary on

several  occassions.  Mary told her to dig

in the dirt and a spring came up that still has been

unlimited.  This water is believed to be

holy and miracles happen when people

go in it or drink it.     

There are dozens of these candle sheds throughout the grotto with thousands of candles.  I am lighting a candle for one of my sons in the bottom picture.  This is a young boy from Northern CA that I met.  His name was Hayden