The Lourdes grotto in the Vrijbos (Free Forest) of Houthulst in West Flanders is the oldest in Belgium. The grotto thus has a long history…
In 1843, Jan-Pieter Cassiers (1788-1870), an entrepreneur and politician, married the viscountess Caroline Joséphine-Charles-Marie de Patin de Langhemarck (1823-1882), who was 35 years his junior. Through this marriage, Cassiers acquired an extensive estate of many hectares. A Lourdes grotto was built on this land. The reason for this was a pilgrimage by Caroline to the grotto in the French town of Lourdes in 1860. This took place relatively soon after the apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes in 1858. Caroline was immensely impressed by her visit to the grotto in Lourdes. She decided to have a replica of the Lourdes grotto built in Houthulst. A piece of rock from the Lourdes grotto was incorporated into the grotto. The grotto was consecrated in 1870.
In 1958, the grotto was widened with material from demolished World War II bunkers from 1940-1945. In 1960, the area around the Lourdesgrotto was further beautified with chapels in a processional route. The chapels are made of red bricks with round arches and contain ceramic bas-relief depictions.
In 2009, renovations were carried out in and around the cave. The statue of Mary was restored to its original condition by Frederik Cnockaert (born 1968) from Wervik. In 2023, a new wreath of roses was placed around the statue of Mary.
It is striking that the statue of the Virgin Mary from the grotto has survived the violence of both world wars and vandalism. This can be called miraculous!
Besides the large grotto, many candles are lit, testifying to a large number of visitors. The Lourdes grotto in Houthulst accordingly receives many thousands of visitors each year, who come there to pray, reflect, give thanks, and find peace.
Next to the Lourdes Grotto stands a fountain, which provides water to visitors.
Besides the Grotto of Lourdes, the domain also depicts the Seven Sorrows of Mary and the mysteries of the Rosary. A Way of the Cross has also been laid out.
The Lourdes Grotto can be visited all year round.
Address: Eugène de Grootelaan 27, 8650 Houthulst.
