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The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
June 14, 2012 | |
The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
This pillar is inscribed with the name of Mother Mary Raphael and the date 1938.
This wooden plaque explains the Grotto’s history.
Moss grows on many of the stones that make up the Grotto.
Mary sits above the grotto surrounded by craggy rocks.
Ivy grows at the edge of the structure.
Numerous ferns have taken up residence in the nooks and crannies.
This simple engraving marks the front of the altar.
A simple metal crucifix sits atop the altar.
These candles are available to be lit with prayer intentions.
This altar resides in the right concave area of the Grotto.
The Grotto blends right into the landscape of the hill above it.
The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
![Built in thanksgiving for the end of the Great War — World War I (1914-1918) — the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes was begun in 1918 in a ravine on the south side of the motherhouse grounds. According to the 1937 Handbook of the Sisters of Providence, Mother Mary Cleophas Foley, the general superior at the time, made a promise “to erect a new shrine in honor of our Lady of Lourdes should peace be declared between the warring nations before Dec. 8 [the Feast of the Immaculate Conception] of that year. The signing of the Armistice Nov. 11, 1918, gave the longed-for assurance and the work on the grotto was begun.” The grotto at the Woods was based upon the blueprints of the renowned grotto in Lourdes, France. The Sisters of Providence Archives house these blueprints today. The Handbook continues to describe this sacred place: “Stones from Lourdes [France] are embedded in the masonry, and a tiny stream of water trickles over them. The large rosary of the statue came from Lourdes. …” After nearly a decade, the grotto was consecrated Feb. 11, 1928.](https://i0.wp.com/spsmw.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Lourdes-Grotto-2.jpg?w=262&h=175&ssl=1 "The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes")
Built in thanksgiving for the end of the Great War — World War I (1914-1918) — the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes was begun in 1918 in a ravine on the south side of the motherhouse grounds. According to the 1937 Handbook of the Sisters of Providence, Mother Mary Cleophas Foley, the general superior at the time, made a promise “to erect a new shrine in honor of our Lady of Lourdes should peace be declared between the warring nations before Dec. 8 [the Feast of the Immaculate Conception] of that year. The signing of the Armistice Nov. 11, 1918, gave the longed-for assurance and the work on the grotto was begun.” The grotto at the Woods was based upon the blueprints of the renowned grotto in Lourdes, France. The Sisters of Providence Archives house these blueprints today. The Handbook continues to describe this sacred place: “Stones from Lourdes [France] are embedded in the masonry, and a tiny stream of water trickles over them. The large rosary of the statue came from Lourdes. …” After nearly a decade, the grotto was consecrated Feb. 11, 1928.
The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
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[…] According to information on a modern postcard, the grotto was built with stones from the original Lourdes site in France, as well as a rosary from Lourdes. Water trickled over the stones originally, but it’s not known if that feature still functions. The college retains the original blueprints for the grotto, according to their website. […]