Saint-Louis-de-Kent [UPDATED]

This photo is largely self-explanatory - it's a shrine to the Virgin Mary in St. Louis de Kent. What is interesting, though, is that it was created in the 1870s (the date was posted but I stupidly didn't jot it down, thinking I'd have no problem finding the information on the internet. Only, not so much.) What is also interesting is that the statue is apparently a duplicate of the statue at Lourdes, although the Lourdes shrine looks pretty dramatically different than this place. The small figure to the left of the Virgin is a statue of a girl praying. And, of course, the kneel rail in front of the shrine is for pilgrims to pause and pray.


The banner above the Virgin's head says "Je suis l'immaculate conception", which I don't believe you need to have much French to translate.

A few years after the installation of this shrine, another local Monsignour arranged the creation of a remarkable reconstruction of the scene at Calvary, on the hillside above the shrine to the Virgin. As you see, the sunset was illuminating Christ as we took the photo. I don't know if it was planned or not, but it was a pretty spectacular effect.

There's a prayer rail here, too.

We didn't seek out this shrine as much as stumble across it, wondering what this beautiful tiny park on the water was. We were impressed with the immaculate care of the grounds, including a path with stairs and handrails that leads from this installation to the shrine below and several beautiful flower gardens.

It did make me wonder how many people did seek it out on purpose, and what thoughts and prayers and petitions had been raised in this place.

ronnie