The Beauraing Sanctuaries

From 29 November 1932 to 3 January 1933, five children from Beauraing witnessed the apparitions of the Virgin Mary on 33 occasions. The site of the apparitions has become the Beauraing Sanctuaries and a place of pilgrimage. The cult was authorised in 1943, and the supernatural nature of the events was recognised in 1949.

The reception point

This is the last building to be constructed. It serves to direct pilgrims and tourists. It is a modern arcade that leads to an office where you can get information about the site. A film of the events can be seen here.

After the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Beauraing gradually became a centre of international pilgrimage, and reception and catering facilities were developed. The sanctuaries themselves developed around the garden where the apparitions took place and the various chapels and churches contributed to the influence of the site.

The chapel

When you are on the square, you see the votive chapel, all in stone and filled with symbols linked to the events: number of windows, openings,… This chapel was built in 1947 by the architect Claes de Beauraing.

The main building remains the former school of the sisters, which has become the reception (accommodation and shelter) for pilgrims and the sick. This building bears a plaque recalling the vision of five children during the winter of 1932-1933.

The Basilica

At the rear of the site stands the Basilica, the church having been awarded this title in 2013. The concrete building was built by the architect Bastin. The ground floor remains the rosary church and the upper floor, which is reached by a ramp, is the basilica, which is used for large gatherings such as the pilgrimage on 15 August.

In the garden of the apparitions, under the altar, is the crypt of St John, which houses a ceramic Way of the Cross by the artist Max Van der Linden (created in 1965).

The hawthorn

The hawthorn itself is the enclosure around the place where the children saw the Virgin; today a statue (the work of Mr Pierroux de Beauraing), a bed of candles and flowers maintain the place
as the centre of recollection for all visitors.

Bonus: A souvenir shop “Pro Maria” also houses a small museum with more than 800 statues of the Virgin from all countries and in all materials. It allows to visualize the importance of the Marian cult in the world. Some of the pieces are very rare.

For more information on what to do there, visit the Beauraing Sanctuaries website.

Want to visit something else besides the Beauraing Sanctuaries?

We can give you some ideas here: https://www.beauraingtourisme.be/en/