Carcassonne

Our first stop today was at the medieval fortress of the Cite de Carcassonne.

Carcassonne Walls

The fortress of the Cite de Carcassonne has two outer walls and 53 towers and barbicans (towers over gates). You can see both walls in this photo.

Carcassonne Walls

Between the outer and inner walls.

Basilica of Saint-Nazaire

We visited the Basilica of Saint–Nazaire and Saint–Celse. In 1096, Pope Urban II came to Carcassonne and blessed the construction materials that would be used to build Saint–Nazaire. The church was completed in the first half of the 12th century.

Moscow Choir

A choir from Moscow performed here for us at Saint–Nazaire.

Moscow Choir–MOVIE

The Moscow Choir performing.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/8NmhdUQRYUk

Carcassonne

Walking through the medieval town of Carcassonne.

Chateau Comtal

Chateau Comtal is the palace of the Cite de Carcassonne, built 1125.

I have put my photos of Carcassonne on a slideshow. Go to http://www.peggysphotos.com/carcassonne/ (Slide Shows, Western Europe, France–2, “Carcassonne”).

Lourdes

From Carcassonne, we drove to Lourdes (pronounced similar to “Louv”), a major pilgrimage center. Bernadette de Lourdes the young girl who saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, the first one on February 11, 1858, at the cave of Massabielle. The Virgin Mary was reported to have appeared 17 more times. Lourdes became a pilgrimage site and Bernadette was canonized but not until 1933.

Shopping Street

There was one after another religious souvenir stores on this street and on other streets. You also see many people in wheelchairs in Lourdes as they as well as other people come to Lourdes for physical or spiritual healing.

Shopping Street

One of the religious souvenir stores, the St. Louis de France. Other than religious stores, in France, there are only more hotels in Paris than in Lourdes. That shows how many people come here.

Sanctuary Notre Dame of Lourdes

The Sanctuary Notre Dame of Lourdes consists of the Grotto at Massabielle (Massabielle is the name of the cave where Bernadette saw the apparitions of the Virgin Mary), churches and basilicas, Rosary Square, the Esplanade, and the baths and most likely a few more places. Going into the water of the baths is supposed to be both physically and spiritually healing. Several of my tour mates did go to the baths. They said that, first, you take off your clothes but this is done privately, you go into the water, and then when you get out, a cloth is wrapped around you to dry. You can find photos of the baths by Googling “Lourdes Baths.”

Blessed Sacrament Procession

There are two religious processions each day at Lourdes. This photo is of the Blessed Sacrament Procession.

Basilicas

On top of the two basilicas is the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 1876. Below it is the Rosary Basilica, 1889.

Rosary Basilica

Close–up of the Rosary Basilica. It has Byzantine architecture.

Sanctuary Grounds

View of Rosary Square in front of the basilicas, the statue of the Virgin Mary at the end of Rosary Square, and the Esplanade after the statue.

Crowned Virgin Mary Statue

The Crowned Virgin Mary statue between Rosary Square and the Esplanade.

Torchlight Procession

Photo of the Torchlight Procession, also called the Candlelight Procession and the Torchlight Marian Procession––Marian referring to the Virgin Mary apparitions. The lighted candles that are carried by the marchers represent the candles that Bernadette and a couple of her friends carried into the cave. The procession walks up one side of the Esplanade and down the other side and then into Rosary Square. The Torchlight Procession was started in 1863 and is held every night from April to the end of October and also on December 8 and February 11.

Torchlight Procession

All the marchers in the procession are now in Rosary Square.

I have put my photos of Lourdes on a slideshow. Go to http://www.peggysphotos.com/lourdes–1/ (Slide Shows, Western Europe, France–2, “Lourdes”).

Torchlight Procession-1, MOVIE

The beginning of the Torchlight Procession with people in wheelchairs in front of the procession.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/sLyAcVJ0CbY

Torchlight Procession-2, MOVIE

Other marchers are joining into the procession.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/6ofmFry04U0

Torchlight Procession-3, MOVIE

The people in wheelchairs are at the front in Rosary Square. The other marchers are joining them in the square.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y5X–4ncmjxM

Torchlight Procession-4, MOVIE

All the marchers are now in Rosary Square.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/EJszvouWReI