Where Are the Marian Apparition Sites in Europe?

To answer this question, Select International can take you on a Catholic French pilgrimage tour that combines three of Europe’s most beautiful Marian apparition sites. Our luxury coach excursion will introduce you to several apparition sites in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Which Sites Will You Visit During the French Part of the Tour?

We will take you to see several Marian Shrines in the Europe tour. Yet, Notre-Dame Cathedral, also known as Our Lady of Paris and Notre-Dame de Paris, is always a highlight. This exquisite French Gothic cathedral, built between the 12th and 14th centuries, symbolizes devotion and a bygone era.

It also stands for the present, as the French restored the building and replaced the roof and spire after the devastating fire in April 2019. Devoted to the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Paris is situated on the eastern side of the Île de la Cité.

You will also visit the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal as part of our Marian Blooms-style tour. The chapel formerly belonged to the Daughters of Charity, where Catherine Labouré was a novice when she had her visions of the Virgin Mary in 1830. Catherine received the design for what became the Miraculous Medal (the Medallion of the Immaculate Conception) in the chapel during the second sighting. The location holds her relics and incorrupt body, making it a shrine to the saint and an apparition chapel.

Lisieux is a pilgrimage site because it houses St Thérèse’s tomb and the basilica, and because the people preserved the arc of the saint’s life. The Saint Thérèse of Lisieux setting receives approximately 1 million visitors each year. Although Lisieux is a comparatively small town, this notable French pilgrimage venue honors an unassuming young woman’s “Little Way” of serving her God by doing small, everyday tasks with love and devotion. We will include this meaningful site in the France leg of the tour.

Select International offers an Extension to Lourdes for pilgrims who want to add the Pyrenees Marian apparition site to their schedule. Your package includes daily Mass, the rosary at the Grotto, and a visit to the legendary baths. Your guide will tell you about Bernadette Soubirous’s visionary experiences, how she gained Church recognition, and the myriad reported miracles. Moreover, on a Lourdes Marian shrine pilgrimage, you will discover that the traditions and Lourdes legacy remain relevant today.

To Which Places Will We Take You in Belgium?

The Virgin Mary appeared to five children between the ages of 9 and 15, 33 times between November 29, 1932, and January 3, 1933. The visitations took place in the garden of a boarding school in Beauraing, Belgium. The apparition introduced herself as the “Immaculate Virgin,” requested that the children pray often, love her Son with all their hearts, and entreated the church to build a chapel for pilgrims on the site. You can look forward to visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of the Golden Heart, where this poignant experience took place.

Likewise, the Shrine of Our Lady of the Poor in Banneux is an important Roman Catholic pilgrimage destination in the Belgian Ardennes. The “Virgin of the Poor” appeared to an 11-year-old girl, Mariette Beco, eight times in 1933. When the girl wanted to know if the spring in which the Virgin had told her to put her hands was only for her, the Virgin answered: “This spring is reserved for all Nations… to relieve the sick.” She also said: “I am the Mother of the Savior, Mother of God. Pray a lot,” as well as “I come to relieve suffering,” and “I would like a little chapel.” Pilgrims still come to dip their hands in the water and often take some back for the sick.

You will encounter yet another exceptional pilgrimage site when you see the 12th-century Basilica of the Holy Blood of Bruges. Tradition and contemporary research differ on when the vial containing the cloth that holds Christ’s blood originated. Tradition maintains it was brought from the Holy Land in the 1150s, after the Second Crusade. Modern research suggests the relic dates to the Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople in 1204. Either way, you can admire the gold-capped crystal phial for yourself during the stopover.

Continuing your journey, you can wander through the Abbey of Maredsous in the Molignée valley. Benedictine monks established this 1872 neo-Gothic monastery. You can meditate in a spiritual environment and possibly meet hospitable monks there. They follow the rule of Saint Benedict, work between prayers, and share their sacred yet modern lives with the community.

Saint Bravo’s Cathedral has been a sanctuary of worship and history for over a thousand years, a place where prayer and beauty have met for generations at the heart of Ghent. The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, painted almost six centuries ago by the Van Eyck brothers, draws pilgrims and art lovers alike.

While several panels are completing their final restoration phase off‑site, high‑quality images allow visitors to follow the whole scene, with the fully restored masterpiece expected to be reunited in the cathedral by spring 2027. Even now, the quiet radiance of the altarpiece, set within this living house of prayer, makes a visit to Saint Bavo’s a deeply moving and unforgettable experience.

Do You Know the History of Catholicism and the Protestant Reformation in the Netherlands?

On a Catholic pilgrimage to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, we invite you to relive history. Following the Protestant Reformation in 1578, the Amsterdam City Council forbade Catholic services. Devotees had to say Mass in secret and take private walks to honor the procession commemorating the 1345 Eucharistic “Miracle of Amsterdam” in silence. The Silent Walk tradition was restored in 1881 and now centers on the Begijnhof Chapel. You can look forward to discovering more about the Miracle upon your visit to the site of the annual procession.

Protestant Dutch forces captured the Shrine of Our Lady in Den Bosch and Haarlem in 1629, banning Catholic worship. Believers smuggled the Statue out of the city to Brussels, and it was only returned in 1853 when the bishopric was restored. Find out more about these historic events and the Shrine of Our Sweet Lady when you visit the Brabantine Gothic Saint John’s Cathedral in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Why Does Combining the Low Countries and France in One Pilgrimage Create a Deeply Marian Journey?

Facilitating a tour that crosses borders in Europe echoes how the Catholic faith was transmitted from one place to another in the past. Our European Catholic pilgrimage destinations offer a comprehensive immersion in Marian observance, integrating the historical focal points of the Church-approved apparitions. Pilgrims often report experiencing a sense of peace and spiritual healing during the process.

Select International has the experience and resources to make a life-changing trip possible for you, whether you plan to travel alone or with a group of like-minded people from your church or community. Get in touch and let us help you visit many miraculous and spiritually significant places.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long is a typical Catholic pilgrimage to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands?Our Marian pilgrimages in this region usually last between 8 and 12 days, giving you the opportunity for quiet time, sightseeing, and unhurried visits to the major shrines and historic city centers.
2. What level of physical fitness do I need?These are coach pilgrimages with a moderate amount of walking, often on cobblestone streets and in large churches. A basic level of fitness is recommended to comfortably enjoy the daily program.
3. What kind of transportation and accommodation can I expect?You travel between sites by modern, comfortable motor coach and stay in carefully selected hotels, chosen for convenience and comfort, so you can rest well between full days of pilgrimage.