September 9
An annual pilgrimage by thousands of people of all faiths to the shrine of Roman Catholic
priest Pare Jacques Desire Laval in Port Louis, Mauritius.
Father Laval came to Mauritius in 1841 and devoted himself to the spiritual improvement
of the emancipated slaves until his death in 1864. The pilgrimage is held on the day of
his death.
It originated on the day the priest was buried, when more than 30,000 weeping people
followed his bier as he was taken for burial opposite the Ste. Croix Church. A monument
to him has since been erected there.
Many masses are celebrated at the shrine on the memorial day, starting early in the
morning. A vigil ends the day. Miracles of healing are attributed to Father Laval, who was
beatified in 1979 in Rome by Pope John Paul II.
Full story:
https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Pilgrimage+to+Shrine+of+Father+Laval
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