“A new Shrine has been added to the grounds of the monastery on Eden Hill,” reported Father Joseph, MIC, 65 years ago in the October-December 1961 edition of Marian Helpers Bulletin. “Below the field altar, hidden among the tall pine trees and maples of the dense forest towering on the hillside, overlooking the beautiful panoramic hills and valleys of the Berkshire mountains, stands a most unusual realistic replica of the ‘Massabielle’ Grotto of Lourdes.” Construction began in 1958 to mark the centennial of the apparitions of Our Lady to St. Bernadette Soubirous (the first one was on Feb. 11, today the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes), and was completed in August 1961 in time for Marian Week. “At first glance, the viewer has an immediate impression that the artificial structure was chiseled from a rock on the hillside,” Father Joseph continued. “Only after close examination, one discovers the surprising truth!” Today, the Lourdes Grotto, accessed on a path behind the Shrine Chapel, is a favorite spot on Eden Hill for quiet prayer and reflection, with the opportunity to light a candle of remembrance. From the VAULTS 36 Marian Helper • Spring 2026 • Marian.org
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