Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
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The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is a basilica in a bucolic setting by the Saint Lawrence River 30 km east of Quebec City in Quebec, Canada.
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[edit] History
The basilica in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré was at first a shrine built to honour Saint Anne. The shrine was built for two reasons: to provide a place of worship for the new settlers in the area [1]and to house a marvellous statue of St. Anne. [2]The first reported miracle at the site happened during the shrine’s construction. A man named Louis Guimond was hired to help build the shrine even though he suffered from rheumatism. After placing three stones upon the shrine’s foundation, Guimond was cured of all his ailments. [1] This was followed by other testimonies of healed people and shrine soon grew in popularity. Many pilgrims came to the shrine hoping to receive a miracle while others like Anne of Austria supported the shrine from their homes. [3]
Because of the popularity of the shrine, the Catholic Church had to enlarge the building several times to accommodate all the pilgrims. In 1876, the first basilica opened for worship. The dimensions of the basilica, including the side chapels, were two hundred feet long by one hundred feet wide. [4] Unfortunately, the first basilica was destroyed in a fire on March 29, 1922. [1] However, the old ruins were replaced by the present day basilica in 1926.
Miracles are still performed at the basilica. When entering the church one can see two pillars filled with racks of crutches, canes, braces, and other signs of disabilities. Every item is left by a pilgrim who claims to have been healed at the basilica.
[edit] Church dimensions
- Total length : 105 m
- Face width : 48 m
- Transept width : 61 m
- Steples heigth : 91 m
[edit] Trivia
It is an important Catholic sanctuary which receives about half a million pilgrims each year.
The wooded hillside next to it has a memorial chapel and a Way of the Cross, or Stations of the Cross.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c Lebel, Jean-Marie & Birgitte Ostiguy (1999), Saint Anne de Beaupré: An Inspiration, Les Editions du Chien Rouge
- ^ Basilica of Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, Quebec. Retrieved on March 24, 2007.
- ^ Morinis, Alan. "Pilgrimage". Canadian Encyclopaedia. Retrieved on 2007-03-24.
- ^
"Sainte Anne de Beaupré" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.
[edit] External link
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This article about a Canadian building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Alberta: Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph
Manitoba: Cathedral Basilica of Saint-Boniface
New Brunswick: St. Michael's Basilica
Newfoundland: Basilica of St. John the Baptist
Nova Scotia: St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica
Ontario: St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica | St. Paul's Basilica | Cathedral Basilica of Notre-Dame | St. Patrick's Basilica
Prince Edward Island: Cathedral Basilica of St. Dunstan
Quebec: Cathedral Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec | Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré | Sainte-Cécile Cathedral Basilica | Cathedral Basilica of Saint Michael | Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica | Sainte-Anne de Varennes Basilica | Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral | Notre-Dame Basilica | St. Joseph's Oratory | St. Patrick's Basilica
