Miracles and healings happen here!

On Sunday, October 14, 2018, thousands of people gathered at the Shrine of Our Lady of France for the 30^th anniversary of the installation of the monumental statue of the Madonna and Child, and the consecration of the new chapel. The Tamil faithful accounted for two thirds of the crowd. The French town of Baillet-en-France, near Paris, where the shrine is located, is accustomed to large crowds since 1988, when the 7-meter tall statue was inaugurated.

The Mass before the consecration of the chapel was the highlight of the day, brimming with sunshine and vivid colors worn by Indian and Sri Lankan attendees, the largest local communities. "The representation of all the continents in this place reminds us of the universality of the Christian faith," said Bishop Stanislas Lalanne of Pontoise.

All year round, thousands of people go there to pray. One of them, a young Catholic Tamil woman called Lourdes, has been visiting the shrine every Saturday for the past 5 years: "Our Lady has protected me, my family and all families—not only Catholics ones, but others too." It was important for her to come to the consecration of the chapel, not only for her community, but also to pray for French people from multiple origins.

More than 5,000 Tamils ​​come here every year on August 15th for the feast of the Assumption, the occasion of a true national gathering for these transplanted Catholics. "Miracles and healings happen here," said Lourdes. "The Virgin Mary is very important."

Adapted from Famille Chrétienne magazine