Clean up effort following October floods in Lourdes
In the October European floods, the river Gave broke its banks and inundated beautiful Lourdes, causing enormous structural damage to the Sanctuary.
Lourdes is located in south-western France and is where the Virgin Mary appeared to peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous in a grotto in 1858. Since that time the Catholic church has recognised 68 miracles linked to Lourdes and many disabled or sick people go there to pray for a cure. Last year it was visited by more than six million visitors.
As the Order is committed to serving “Our Lords the Poor and the Sick”, Lourdes holds a special place in the psyche and spirituality of our Members.
The Order of Malta is actively supporting the rehabilitation effort follwoing the flood damage. The French Association immediately provided an emergency relief team of fifty volunteers to assist the immediate clean-up operation and Members of the Order from across the world have donated funds to assist the repair and refurbishment of the Lourdes Sanctuaries.
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