Send a Prayer & Rose to Lourdes – Personal Video Included

🌹 A Day of Roses and Devotion 🌹

On December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope traditionally places a bouquet of flowers at the foot of a towering 11-meter marble column in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna. This column is crowned by a statue of Mary, honoring her Immaculate Conception.

In Lourdes, at the very spot where the Virgin Mary proclaimed, “I am the Immaculate Conception,” the Sanctuary embraces this beautiful tradition. Thousands of roses will be placed at the Grotto, at the feet of Our Lady, as a tribute to her, echoing the joy of Saint Bernadette who described Mary’s appearance: "She had a yellow rose on each foot, the color of the chain of her rosary."

This year, Lourdes and Rome will once again be united in this shared devotion. A bouquet of roses will be placed in Piazza di Spagna on behalf of the Sanctuary of Lourdes by the Rector of the Basilica of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte (fondly referred to as the “Roman Lourdes” by Pope Benedict XV). In turn, a vase of roses will be placed in the Grotto of Massabielle on behalf of the Basilica of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte.

Let this exchange of flowers and faith remind us of the enduring bond between these sacred sites and inspire us to honor the Immaculate Conception with joy and reverence. 💙✨