Duration

5–20 minutes

When

Open 24 hours; candle stands are lit at the Grotto at all times

Of all the prayers offered at Lourdes, none is more immediate, more universal or more ancient than the lighting of a candle. At the great candle stands beside the Grotto of Massabielle, hundreds of thousands of candles are burned each year — a continuous flame of intercession that never goes out, winter or summer, day or night. Pilgrims from every nation, speaking every language, light candles for the living and the dead, for the sick and the grieving, for themselves and for those they carry in their hearts. A candle lit at the Lourdes Grotto is one of the most powerful acts of entrusting available to a pilgrim: you hand the flame to Our Lady and leave it burning long after your physical departure from the Sanctuary.

The Tradition of Votive Candles

The lighting of votive candles — candles offered in fulfilment of a vow or as a petition — is among the oldest forms of Christian devotion. At Lourdes, the tradition dates from the earliest years after the apparitions, when pilgrims began leaving candles at the Grotto as tokens of faith and gratitude. Today, the candle stands beside the Grotto are one of the most recognisable images of Lourdes: banks of white candles in varying sizes, burning continuously, their combined heat creating a warmth that pilgrims feel even in winter. The candles are made locally and sold at booths near the Grotto at modest prices; large candles (1 kg and above) can be inscribed with a name or intention. The Sanctuary estimates that over 750 tonnes of candles are burned at Lourdes each year.

How to Light a Candle

The process is entirely simple. You purchase a candle — available in sizes from small tapers to large pillars — from one of the stalls adjacent to the Grotto. You carry it to the candle stands, light it from one of the already-burning candles, place it in a holder, and spend a moment in prayer with your intention. There is no required formula or prayer; what matters is the interior act of entrusting. Many pilgrims light candles for specific people: a sick relative, a grieving friend, a soul in purgatory, someone facing a difficult decision. Others light candles in thanksgiving. Some simply stand in silence before the flames and allow the act itself to be the prayer. The candles burn for between a few hours (small) and several days (large pillars), representing a petition that continues beyond the pilgrim's physical presence at the Grotto.

The Meaning of the Flame

A candle at the Grotto is a form of entrusting: you give something material — wax, which burns and is consumed — as a symbol of the intention you give to God through Our Lady's intercession. The flame represents both the prayer itself and the faith that animates it. In a tradition where Bernadette saw Our Lady surrounded by light, the candle connects the modern pilgrim to that original luminous encounter. Many people who are not practising Catholics, and even those of no faith, light candles at the Grotto as an instinctive gesture toward the transcendent — a reaching out that the Sanctuary of Lourdes seems uniquely to invite. This is the most democratic of all the Sanctuary's devotional acts: it costs a few euros, requires no theological preparation and speaks across every language.

Practical Tips

✓Large candles (1 kg and above) can be personalised with a name or intention at the candle stalls — a meaningful gift for someone who cannot travel
✓The candle stands are most beautiful at dusk, when the setting sun turns the flames golden against the Grotto rock
✓If you have many people to pray for, light one large candle with all their names rather than many small ones
✓Candles left at the stands continue burning after you leave Lourdes — the prayer continues in your absence