Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Catholic basilica near Saint Lawrence River, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Canada.
The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is a Romanesque Revival basilica of cut stone on the Saint Lawrence River in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec. It measures 105 metres long and 48 metres wide, with a transept 61 metres across and a steeple 91 metres high. Its grey stone facade has two identical spires topped with crosses, a gold statue at the central peak, a rose window above three arched doorways, and a broad flight of steps. Inside, twelve round granite columns with carved capitals line the nave beneath a barrel vault painted with geometric and figurative panels.
A wooden chapel was built here from 1658, when settler Étienne de Lessard granted land for a shrine to Saint Anne; during construction the worker Louis Guimont was reportedly cured. Rebuilt in stone in 1676, the church was replaced by a larger one from 1872, made a minor basilica in 1886 and destroyed by fire on 29 March 1922. The present basilica was begun in 1923 to plans by Maxime Roisin and Louis-Napoléon Audet, its spires finished in 1962 and consecrated in 1976.
The sanctuary bears the name of the Virgin Mary's mother and has served believers for centuries as a pilgrimage destination for prayers of healing and intercession. Visitors today can observe the many candle stands and votive offerings left by pilgrims from different continents.
The basilica stands along the Saint Lawrence River, about 30 km east of Quebec City. Pilgrims gather in the greatest numbers around 26 July, the feast of Saint Anne. The building is unfinished: many facade niches stand empty and some cornices were never carved. The wooded hillside beside it holds a memorial chapel and life-sized Stations of the Cross.
Two pillars near the entrance display a collection of crutches and orthopedic devices left behind by people who report healings. These objects form a powerful testimony to belief in Saint Anne's healing power.
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