The Procession of Torches

Every year at the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, there is a tradition known internationally as the Torchlight Procession, established by Capuchin friars through the Servant of God Father Marie-Antoine de Lavaur in the year 1863. It has continued to be celebrated almost uninterruptedly until the present day.

In 2013, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of this tradition, a bust was unveiled in memory of Father Marie-Antoine de Lavaur at the end of the Procession of Torches after the Stations of the Cross, as a homage to this great tradition.

This year saw a special celebration for the 160th anniversary that took place July 7-9, 2023, as organized by the entire Capuchin family along with the Association for the Memory of Fr. Marie-Antoine (APMA) and the Padre Pio Prayer Groups.